The Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, has revealed that the role allegedly played by Lagos lawmaker, Mr. Desmond Elliot, in the Lagos State House of Assembly leadership crisis nearly cost him his job.

Gbajabiamila made the disclosure on Thursday during an All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders’ meeting in Lagos.

According to him, President Tinubu confronted him during the political crisis surrounding the impeachment of former Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr. Mudashiru Obasa.

“I almost lost my job as Chief of Staff last year because of this issue,” the former Speaker of the House of Representatives said.

“The President called me into his study at his Abuja residence during the Obasa saga and the impeachment threats. He said, ‘I hear this one is your boy, the one we gave to you.’ I replied, ‘Yes, sir.’

“He then said, ‘He is part of the people causing problems in the Lagos State House of Assembly.’”

Gbajabiamila said he immediately moved to contain the situation and denied knowledge of Elliot’s alleged involvement.

“I had to address the matter immediately. I told the President, ‘No, no, this one is not part of them.’ I had not even spoken to them about it. Although I knew my boy was involved, I told the President he was not,” he said.

“He then told me, ‘Well, I’m telling you from intelligence. Go and tell him to retrace his steps.’”

The Chief of Staff said he subsequently warned Elliot after security agencies reportedly linked his name to the crisis.

“I made every effort to resolve it. I told him what the President said: ‘If you are one of these people, get out of there.’

“Three days later, the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS) called me and said, ‘There’s a problem. Your name is being mentioned everywhere; they say you are the one behind and supporting Desmond in this.’”

Gbajabiamila said the development became more troubling because President Tinubu would naturally assume Elliot could not have acted without his knowledge.

“Of course, the President would find it difficult to believe that he would do such a thing without my knowledge. I think the DSS even monitored my phone,” he said.

“He had not done anything to clear the air, so I called him again and said, ‘Go and make a public statement that you are not part of this.’

“If I did not have the kind of relationship I have with Mr. President, I would not be here today. Religious division is not our constituency, but Desmond was writing official letters to the party and to me, creating division between Muslims and Christians.”

Obasa was impeached as Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly last year following allegations of abuse of office and gross misconduct levelled against him by some lawmakers.

Following his removal, the then-Deputy Speaker, Mrs. Mojisola Meranda, became the first woman to occupy the position of Speaker in Lagos State.

However, Obasa rejected his impeachment upon his return to Nigeria and challenged the decision in court.

Weeks later, Meranda stepped down, paving the way for Obasa’s reinstatement as Speaker after the intervention of President Tinubu.

Subsequently, the court nullified the proceedings and resolutions of the Lagos State House of Assembly that led to Obasa’s impeachment.

Gbajabiamila’s comments come amid growing political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Elliot, who represents Surulere Constituency I in the Lagos State House of Assembly, is reportedly seeking the APC ticket for the next election cycle, although reports suggest he is not the preferred candidate within the ruling party.