The lawmaker representing Surulere Constituency I in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Desmond Elliot, has denied allegations that he played a key role in the impeachment of Speaker Mudashiru Obasa in 2025.
Elliot made the clarification during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Tuesday, following comments recently made by the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila.
Gbajabiamila had reportedly suggested during an All Progressives Congress stakeholders’ meeting in Lagos last Thursday that Elliot was among those who spearheaded the controversial attempt to remove Obasa from office.
According to reports from the meeting, Gbajabiamila stated that Elliot’s involvement in the political crisis nearly affected his own political standing within the party.
However, the actor-turned-politician rejected the allegation, insisting that he neither initiated nor coordinated the impeachment process against the Speaker.
Speaking during the interview, Elliot described the issue as one that had already been resolved internally within the Assembly and the ruling party.
“It was a topic that was already dead and buried. It was sorted out and the House is already moving on. Right Honourable Mudashiru Obasa continued as the Speaker of the House,” he said.
The lawmaker explained that at the time Obasa was impeached, he was outside the country and was therefore not physically present when the process began.
According to him, by the time he returned to Nigeria, the majority of lawmakers had already signed the impeachment document, leading him to believe that the action had the backing of the party leadership.
“I did not mastermind anything. I had nothing at all. The only thing I did was to append my signature when I came back and I saw a bunch of us, if not all of us, had already appended a signature to say, ‘Oh, it was the party who wanted it,’” Elliot explained.
He further stated that many lawmakers initially believed the move to remove Obasa had originated from higher political authorities, including the Presidency.
According to him, the perception among lawmakers at the time was that the impeachment had the approval of influential party leaders.
“But eventually, the number one Asiwaju called and said, ‘I didn’t order that, I didn’t know anything about it,’” Elliot added, referring to President Bola Tinubu.
Elliot said Tinubu’s clarification that he neither authorised nor supported the impeachment process changed the direction of events within the Assembly and eventually led to Obasa’s reinstatement.
The Surulere lawmaker also expressed disappointment over Gbajabiamila’s public remarks linking him to the impeachment saga.
He described the comments as shocking, particularly because of the longstanding political relationship and loyalty he has maintained with the former Speaker of the House of Representatives.
“So, my leader coming to say this — that he almost lost his job — one I have served and who has always been there for me for this long, to have said that, came to me as a shock,” he said.
Elliot, who is seeking a fourth term in the Lagos State House of Assembly under the platform of the All Progressives Congress, also addressed reports suggesting that party leaders were backing another aspirant, Barakat Odunuga-Bakare, to replace him ahead of the next election cycle.
Despite the speculation surrounding his political future, Elliot insisted that no leader within the APC, including Gbajabiamila, had instructed him to withdraw from the race or abandon his re-election ambition.
“Because I was not asked by him, my leader, never,” he stated.
The lawmaker disclosed that after formally declaring his intention to seek another term, he personally travelled to Abuja to inform Gbajabiamila about his decision.
“Even the day I declared, I flew to Abuja to see him again to tell him, ‘Oga,’ which is how I call him, ‘Oga, I am here again,’” he said.
Elliot maintained that his continued participation in the race was based on the support he enjoys from constituents and political stakeholders within Surulere.
“But at the end of the day, I am here to also serve the people. I do have the leadership, I do have the people. So, the president has said let the people decide. If they want you to continue, you continue,” he added.
The lawmaker also raised concerns over what he described as intimidation and political pressure allegedly being faced by members of his political structure in Surulere.
According to him, some individuals were attempting to weaken his political base through intimidation tactics ahead of party primaries.
“We are being intimidated in Surulere. If you know you are popular on ground, do not intimidate the people,” he said.
The controversy surrounding Obasa’s impeachment remains one of the most significant political crises to have rocked the Lagos State House of Assembly in recent years.
Obasa was removed from office early last year after lawmakers accused him of abuse of office and gross misconduct.
Following his impeachment, then-Deputy Speaker Mojisola Meranda emerged as Speaker, making history as the first woman to occupy the position in Lagos State.
However, the leadership transition triggered political tension within the ruling APC and generated widespread debate across the state’s political landscape.
Obasa later rejected the impeachment upon his return to Nigeria and challenged the decision in court, arguing that due process was not followed in the proceedings that led to his removal.
Weeks after the crisis escalated, Meranda eventually stepped down from the position following interventions by senior APC leaders and President Tinubu.
Obasa was subsequently reinstated as Speaker after political negotiations and consultations within the party hierarchy.
The legal battle surrounding the impeachment also took another turn after a court reportedly nullified the proceedings and resolutions of the Assembly that led to Obasa’s removal from office.
The development further reinforced the political influence surrounding the crisis and highlighted the internal divisions that emerged within the Lagos Assembly during the period.
Political observers believe Elliot’s latest comments are aimed at distancing himself from the lingering controversy as preparations begin for future elections and party primaries within the APC.
Despite the controversy, the Surulere lawmaker maintained that his loyalty to the party leadership remains intact and that his priority remains serving his constituents and sustaining his political career within the APC structure in Lagos State.
