Desmond Elliot, the lawmaker representing Surulere Constituency 1 in the Lagos State House of Assembly, has publicly apologised to Femi Gbajabiamila over claims linking him to the controversial impeachment of Mudashiru Obasa.
Speaking during an interview on Let’s Talk, Elliot described Gbajabiamila as his political mentor and expressed regret over any misunderstanding that may have strained their relationship. He said he holds deep respect for the former Speaker of the House of Representatives and referred to him as someone who shaped his political journey.
The controversy stems from the January 2025 impeachment of Obasa as Speaker of the Lagos Assembly after lawmakers accused him of gross misconduct and abuse of office.
During his absence from the country, then-Deputy Speaker Mojisola Meranda was elected as the first female Speaker of the Assembly.However, Obasa rejected the impeachment upon his return and challenged the process in court. After 49 days, Meranda resigned, and Obasa was reinstated, reportedly after intervention by Bola Tinubu.
The court later nullified the impeachment proceedings.Reacting to allegations that he orchestrated the impeachment, Elliot denied any involvement, stating he was in South Africa at the time for a family wedding.
He explained that he only returned to hear reports that the move had the backing of the presidency, which influenced his stance at the time.
The lawmaker said he was surprised to be named as the mastermind and insisted he had no role in planning Obasa’s removal.
He added that after serving under party leadership for over a decade, he would not publicly speak against those he respects, stressing that unity remains more important than political blame.