Desmond Elliot explains signing impeachment notice against Obasa

Lagos State lawmaker Desmond Elliot has clarified his role in the January 2025 impeachment proceedings against Speaker Mudashiru Obasa, revealing why he added his signature to the document seeking the Speaker’s removal.

Elliot, who represents Surulere Constituency I, addressed the issue during a Tuesday interview on Channels Television’s “Sunrise Daily.” His comments came in response to a claim by Femi Gbajabiamila, the President’s Chief of Staff, who stated that he nearly lost his position due to intelligence reports implicating Elliot in the impeachment plot.

The actor-turned-politician explained that he was abroad when the events unfolded and was under the impression that the move to oust Obasa had the backing of the presidency.

“I would like to state categorically that I wasn’t in the country,” Elliot said. “My wife and I travelled during the period of January 13th, 2025. We were in recess, and it was an opportunity for us to travel to attend my wife’s younger sister’s wedding.”

He recounted being in South Africa when he learned of the impeachment, a development that he described as a shock. “It took me about two days to come back. I was also as confused as everybody was,” he stated.

Upon his return, Elliot found that a significant number of his colleagues had already signed the impeachment notice. “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,” he explained. “And, of course, I appended my own signature. I believe I was maybe the 30-something person at that point.”

According to Elliot, the situation was later clarified when President Bola Tinubu intervened, informing the lawmakers that he had not authorized the impeachment and instructed them to reinstate Obasa. “Mr. President called us and made us understand that it was not from him and asked us to return the speaker. And we did,” he added.

Reacting to Gbajabiamila’s remarks, Elliot expressed his surprise, highlighting their long-standing professional relationship. “So, for my leader (Gbajabiamila), whom I have served and who has also been there for me for this long, to have said that came to me as a shock,” he said.

The political drama began on January 13, 2025, when a majority of the Lagos State House of Assembly voted to impeach the long-serving Speaker while he was on vacation in the United States. The lawmakers cited allegations of gross misconduct, abuse of office, high-handedness, and financial mismanagement.

Following Obasa’s removal, his deputy, Mojisola Meranda, was elected as the new Speaker, making her the first woman to hold the position. Obasa, however, contested the impeachment, calling it illegal and unconstitutional. The ensuing crisis led to weeks of political tension, legal battles, and interventions from national APC leaders, including President Tinubu, before Meranda resigned, allowing for Obasa’s reinstatement.