Real reason I signed Obasa’s impeachment notice, Elliot breaks silence after Gbajabiamila’s accusation

Lagos State lawmaker Desmond Elliot has explained that he signed the January 2025 impeachment document against Speaker Mudashiru Obasa under the false impression that the move had presidential backing.

Lagos State House of Assembly member, Desmond Elliot, has provided detailed insights into his involvement in the short-lived impeachment of Speaker Mudashiru Obasa in January 2025, clarifying the circumstances that led him to sign the impeachment document. Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Tuesday, the lawmaker representing Surulere Constituency I addressed recent remarks by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, who claimed he nearly lost his job over intelligence linking Elliot to the plot. Elliot explained that he was actually out of Nigeria when the political crisis erupted, but added his signature upon his return after being led to believe the leadership change was sanctioned by higher authorities.

The actor-turned-politician narrated that he and his wife had traveled to South Africa during a legislative recess to attend a family wedding when the sudden ouster of the Speaker took place. Describing his initial confusion and eventual decision to sign the document, Elliot said: “I would like to state categorically that I wasn’t in the country. My wife and I travelled during the period of January 13th of 2025. We were in recess and then it was an opportunity for us to travel to attend my wife’s younger sister’s wedding.” He further explained: “That was the time Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa was impeached (by Lagos State House of Assembly). It came to me as a shock because I was in South Africa then. So, obviously, it took me about two days to come back. I was also as confused as everybody was. And then I saw that almost everybody had signed. And pretty much we thought it was from the presidency. In all fairness, we thought it was from the presidency. And, of course, I appended my own signature. I believe I was maybe 30-something person at that point in time because others who had travelled had returned and others who signed.”

According to the lawmaker, the political impasse was only resolved after direct intervention from President Bola Tinubu, who cleared the air regarding the source of the impeachment directive. Elliot noted: “But eventually, Mr President called us and made us understand that it was not from him and asked us to return the speaker. And we did.” Expressing deep disappointment over the narrative presented by Gbajabiamila, Elliot stated that the allegations of his masterminding the plot came as a shock given their close political ties, adding: “So, my leader (Gbajabiamila) coming to say this, that I almost lost his job, one I have served and has also been there for me for this long, to have said that came to me as a shock.”

READ THE FULL STORY IN PUNCH