Tinubu almost fired me over Desmond Elliot – Gbajabiamila + Video

by · The Eagle Online

Femi Gbajabiamila, the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, has publicly stated that he almost lost his job due to the actions of Desmond Elliot, a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly.

Gbajabiamila made the revelation during a constituency stakeholders’ meeting held in Lagos, where he spoke on the controversy surrounding the lawmaker representing Surulere Constituency 1.

The fallout between the duo became public after Elliot declared his interest for a fourth term.

When asked if there was any rift with Gbajabiamila, his strong supporter, the lawmaker said: “Our leader is a compassionate leader.

“A leader of thought.

“We are children.

“Children sometimes err.

“If I have erred in any way, my leader, I am sorry.

“Give me another chance, and let’s move on, and let’s bring more dividends of democracy to the people.

“Although he has not said that I have erred, I’m just saying that if I have, then this is the situation.”

But speaking in Lagos on Thursday, Gbajabiamila traced the issue with the actor turned politician to the impeachment of Mudashiru Obasa as Speaker of the Lagos House of Assembly.

Majority lawmakers in the assembly had removed Obasa, the longest serving speaker in the assembly, accusing him of high handedness among other infractions.

But following high-powered intervention, Obasa got back his position and is currently on his way to the National Assembly, if he wins the Agege 1 Federal Constituency seat.

According to Gbajabiamila, President Tinubu had summoned him during the height of the Assembly crisis and questioned him over allegations that Elliot was involved in moves to destabilise the House.

He said: “I almost lost my job because of Desmond Elliot last year.

“You can go and verify.”

Gbajabiamila said President Tinubu invited him to his residence in Abuja during the Obasa saga and confronted him with reports linking Elliot to the crisis.

He said: “Mr. President called me to his study in Abuja and said: ‘I hear this Desmond is your boy.’

“I said: ‘Yes, sir.’

“He then said Desmond was among those causing problems in the Lagos State House of Assembly.”

Gbajabiamila said he immediately defended the Surulere lawmaker, insisting that Elliot was not part of those allegedly working against the leadership of the Assembly.

“I told the President that Desmond was not part of them, but the President insisted and told me to call him to order,” he added.

The former Speaker of the House of Representatives further disclosed that shortly after the meeting, he contacted Elliot and warned him to steer clear of the crisis if he was involved in any way.

He added: “Three days later, the Director-General of the DSS (Department of State Services, Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi), called me and said there was a serious issue, that my name was everywhere as the person supporting Desmond to push for impeachment.”

Gbajabiamila noted that he thereafter instructed Elliot to publicly distance himself from the alleged plot, but claimed the lawmaker failed to do so.

“I told Desmond to go and make a public statement that he was not part of them, but till today he has not done that,” he stated.

He added that his long-standing relationship with President Tinubu ultimately saved his position.

“If not for the kind of relationship I have with the President today, I probably would not still be here as Chief of Staff,” he said.

Accusing Elliot of attempting to whip up religious sentiment, Gbajabiamila told the party faithful that political office holders related freely regardless of religious background.

He narrated how the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) wrote him a letter to make a case for Elliot.

The President’s Chief of Staff clarified that religious sentiment has no place in the constituency as people work together harmoniously.

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