Why I supported Obasa’s impeachment–Desmond Elliot replies Gbajabiamila
Why I supported Obasa’s impeachment–Desmond Elliot replies Gbajabiamila
Amid the uncertainty over his political future, Desmond Elliot who represents Surulere 1 constituency at the Lagos State House of Assembly, has responded to claim by president Bola Tinubu’s chief of staff and his political godfather, Femi Gbajabiamila that he acted against the party’s interest in supporting the impeachment of Mudashiru Obasa as the speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly.
Desmond Elliot while appearing in an interview on Channels Tv station, disclosed that he was not rightly informed about Obasa’s impeachment resulting in his joining the bandwagon of the House members.
According to him, he was not in Nigeria at the outset of the impeachment saga and returned two days during the crisis to realize that the majority of the members of the Lagos State House of Assembly had assigned the impeachment resolution. He added his signature believing that the directive to impeach Obasa was from the presidency. He explained that he was surprised that a few days after, the president who supposedly gave the directive for Obasa’s impeachment ordered the members of the House to reverse the decision and reinstate Obasa as the speaker.
See also Senator Shehu Sani reveals the implication of gov Dauda Lawal defection on insecurity in Zamfara state
Desmond Elliot also admitted that he was advised by Femi Gbajabiamila to detach himself from the lawmakers seeking to impeach Obasa but explained that it would have amounted to being cowardly and being perceived as a turncoat by his fellow lawmakers. Hence, he decided to win over a chunk of the lawmakers rather than being the lone voice against Obasa’s impeachment.
Yes he spoke to me We spoke at that period during the time and whatever he told me I took to the house because I told him it would be very cowardly of me to single handedly leave a bunch of 36 people or 37 people and move to another side without taking a chunk of people. So I told the chunk of people that this is what I heard, you know, at that point in time”, Desmond Elliot stated.
Accusing Femi Gbajabiamila of trying to “throw him under the bus” despite his unalloyed loyalty to him, Demand Elliot expressed surprised that the issue of Obasa’s impeachment which had long been resolved is being used against him to thwart his reelection ambition.
And you see, because it’s a matter that has been dead and buried. Mr. President says it’s over. It’s over as it’s over. So for my leader to bring the issue up at this political time, I think is somewhat quite surprising to me, especially with the kind of regard and respect that I have shown him in almost all my projects. Everybody in Surulere knows I have put my leader first in it”.
