Femi Gbajabiamila’s revelation that he nearly lost his position as Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu in 2025 because of the alleged involvement of Nollywood-actor-turned-lawmaker Desmond Elliot in the Lagos State House of Assembly crisis has peeled back the curtain on the raw, unforgiving realities of Nigerian politics. His disclosure, delivered with unusual candor, underscores how fragile power can be inside Lagos the beating heart of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and how local battles can reverberate at the highest levels of national governance.
The crisis was triggered by a bitter speakership battle in the Lagos Assembly, where Mudashiru Obasa fought to retain his position amid factional rivalries. Obasa, a long-standing figure with deep patronage networks, faced opposition from within his own party. Allegations swirled that Desmond Elliot, once celebrated as a Nollywood star and now a controversial lawmaker, played a role in the turmoil, aligning with factions that threatened Obasa’s grip. Gbajabiamila, whose political roots are firmly planted in Lagos, claimed Elliot’s involvement nearly cost him his job in Tinubu’s inner circle, exposing how fragile his own survival was in the face of shifting alliances.
Gbajabiamila’s trajectory from Lagos politics to Speaker of the House of Representatives and then Chief of Staff is emblematic of Tinubu’s political machine. His survival depends on navigating Lagos’s treacherous waters, where godfatherism dictates outcomes and speakership battles are proxies for control of state resources. Elliot’s transition from Nollywood celebrity to politician has been fraught with controversy, particularly since the EndSARS protests, when his comments on social media regulation drew widespread backlash. His alleged role in undermining Obasa reignited debates about the credibility of celebrity politicians and their susceptibility to factional manipulation.
Obasa’s influence in Lagos politics is formidable. His ability to marshal alliances within the Assembly has long made him indispensable to Tinubu’s Lagos power structure. The 2025 battle was not just about the speakership it was about who controls legislative purse strings, contracts, and political structures. For Gbajabiamila, the stakes were existential: losing influence in Lagos could undermine his standing with Tinubu, whose dominance in Nigerian politics is rooted in his control of Lagos.
Political analysts argue the episode exposed deep divisions within the APC. “What happened in Lagos was not just a local squabble,” said Dr. Tunde Ajayi, a political scientist at the University of Lagos. “It was a test of Tinubu’s grip on his home base, and the fact that Gbajabiamila felt threatened shows how fragile even the most powerful positions can be.”
Constitutional lawyers note that speakership contests are not merely legislative affairs but battles for control of patronage networks. “The speakership is about who controls the Assembly’s budget and influence,” explained lawyer Funke Adeyemi. “That is why these battles are so fierce they are about power, not procedure.”
Civil society groups warn that such crises distract from governance. “While politicians fight over positions, ordinary Lagosians are left with poor infrastructure and insecurity,” said Ayo Olorunfemi of the Centre for Democracy and Development. Opposition parties seized on the crisis to highlight APC’s instability, with PDP spokesperson Kola Ologbondiyan declaring, “This is proof that APC is consumed by internal contradictions and cannot govern effectively.”
Lagos residents vented frustration online, mocking Elliot’s role and reviving memes from the EndSARS era. “Desmond Elliot again? This man is always on the wrong side of history,” one Twitter user wrote, echoing widespread skepticism of his political judgment.
The Lagos Assembly has a history of crises, with previous speakership battles reflecting broader struggles within the APC. Nationally, similar conflicts have played out in the National Assembly, where leadership contests toppled careers and reshaped alliances. Across Africa, dominant parties face comparable challenges: South Africa’s ANC has been riven by factionalism, Kenya’s ruling coalitions have fractured under leadership disputes, and globally, parties in the United States, United Kingdom, and India have grappled with internal rebellions that weakened ruling governments.
Elliot’s involvement reignited public criticism of his political image. Since EndSARS, he has been a lightning rod for online backlash, with many Nigerians skeptical of his political judgment. His alleged role in undermining Obasa’s speakership reinforced perceptions of opportunism and betrayal, fueling debates about the place of celebrity politicians in serious governance.
Gbajabiamila’s revelation is therefore more than a personal grievance. It is a window into the culture of loyalty and betrayal that defines Nigerian politics, where local battles in Lagos can destabilize national power structures. It highlights the risks internal crises pose to governance and stability, and the precarious balance Tinubu must maintain to keep his political empire intact.
“The lesson here,” said APC insider Musa Balogun, “is that no one is safe. Even Gbajabiamila, with all his closeness to the president, can be shaken if Lagos politics turns against him. That is the reality of our system.”
The 2025 Lagos Assembly crisis will be remembered not only for its immediate drama but for what it revealed: that even Nigeria’s most powerful figures are vulnerable to the shifting sands of alliances, betrayals, and survival in a political system where godfatherism reigns supreme.
