Why I Signed Impeachment Notice Against Speaker Obasa — Desmond Elliot Replies Gbajabiamila

Honourable Desmond Elliot, has finally broken his silence on his involvement in the controversial January 2025 plot to impeach the Speaker of the House, Right Honourable Mudashiru Obasa.

Speaking during a live appearance on Channels Television’s breakfast programme, Sunrise Daily, on Tuesday, the actor-turned-politician provided context to his actions, noting that he acted under the distinct impression that the move to remove the long-standing Speaker carried absolute presidential backing.

Elliot’s public explanation follows explosive remarks made by the Chief of Staff to the President and former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Right Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila. Gbajabiamila had recently claimed that he nearly lost his high-profile job at the Presidency after security intelligence linked Elliot, his close political ally in the Surulere constituency, to the abortive legislative coup against Obasa.

Reacting to the accusation, Elliot stated categorically that he was physically out of the country when the political storm gathered momentum in the assembly. According to him, he and his wife had traveled to South Africa during the legislative recess to attend his sister-in-law’s wedding, only to be caught off guard by the rapid development.

The lawmaker explained that while he was far away in South Africa, he was reached by colleagues involved in the plot. He admitted that he consented to appending his signature to the impeachment notice because the coordinators of the move successfully convinced him that the highest level of political authority in the country had given the green light for leadership change in the Lagos Assembly.

The revelation has sent fresh shockwaves through the political hierarchy of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, exposing the deep undercurrents, trust deficits, and intense power play that characterized the short-lived legislative crisis last year.

While the dust appeared to have settled after the failed January 2025 shakeup, Elliot’s latest remarks have effectively reopened old wounds, shedding light on the intricate and often dangerous alignment between state lawmakers and federal political heavyweights.