Why Tinubu almost sacked me as chief of staff
Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, has revealed that he nearly lost his position during the political crisis that affected the Lagos State House of Assembly in 2025.
Gbajabiamila made the disclosure in a video currently circulating on social media.
He said the issue came up during the period former Speaker Mudashiru Obasa was removed from office, leading to tension within the Assembly.
According to him, President Bola Tinubu invited him to his residence in Abuja at the peak of the crisis and questioned him over reports allegedly linking actor-turned-lawmaker Desmond Elliot to moves aimed at causing trouble in the Lagos Assembly.
Gbajabiamila explained that the President allegedly informed him that intelligence reports had connected Elliot to the political problems in the Assembly.
He said he immediately defended the lawmaker and denied claims that Elliot was involved in the situation.
The Chief of Staff said Tinubu insisted the reports he received pointed to Elliot’s involvement and instructed him to speak with the Surulere lawmaker and advise him to withdraw from anything connected to the crisis if he was truly involved.
Gbajabiamila stated that after the meeting, he contacted Elliot and informed him about the concerns raised by the President.
He said he warned the lawmaker to stay away from the crisis if he had any connection to it.
He also disclosed that a few days later, the Director-General of the Department of State Services contacted him over allegations that both he and Elliot were being mentioned in connection with the Assembly crisis.
According to Gbajabiamila, the allegations suggested he was backing Elliot in the matter. He said the situation became serious because many people believed Elliot could not act in such a manner without his knowledge.
The Chief of Staff added that he again contacted Elliot and advised him to publicly clear his name from the allegations. However, he claimed the lawmaker did not release any statement regarding the issue.
The political crisis in the Lagos State House of Assembly began on January 13, 2025, after lawmakers impeached Obasa while he was reportedly outside the country.
The lawmakers accused the former Speaker of misconduct, abuse of office, poor leadership style, lateness to legislative sessions, and alleged financial mismanagement.
Following his removal, Deputy Speaker Mojisola Meranda was elected to lead the Assembly, becoming the first woman to occupy the position.
Obasa rejected the impeachment and maintained that proper procedures were not followed. The development later led to legal battles, leadership disputes, and intervention from leaders of the All Progressives Congress.
The crisis was eventually resolved after Meranda stepped down from the position, allowing Obasa to return as Speaker.
