A member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Desmond Elliot, has reaffirmed his loyalty to President Bola Tinubu and his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila.
Speaking during an interview with BBC Pidgin, he asserted that he remains loyal to Tinubu and Gbajabiamila despite reports of political disagreements.
The lawmaker representing Surulere Constituency in the Lagos assembly said democracy should not be run like a military regime where subordinates openly challenge authority.
“We are in a democracy and not a military regime. The names of President Tinubu and Gbajabiamila are too big for me,” he stated.
The lawmaker explained that he still regards Gbajabiamila as his political leader and father figure, stressing that temporary misunderstandings should not be exaggerated.
“I don’t only have a relationship with Gbajiabiamila. He is my boss. I’m loyal to him, and he loves me like a son. In life, even between father and son, there can be small issues once in a while, and people settle it,” he stated.
Elliot added that he was not expecting anyone to intervene in any perceived disagreement between him and the former Speaker of the House of Representatives.
“I’m not waiting for anybody to settle anything. A child can apologise to the father, and the father will calm down when he is ready. But it is not the child that will tell the father when to calm down,” he said.
Elliot further stressed that despite the political tension, he would never abandon Gbajabiamila.
“God forbid that I will leave my father. The president can call me and say, ‘Boy, that is not you,’” he added.
Reacting to questions linking him to the crisis involving the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly and the presidency, Elliot declined to comment extensively on the issue.
“That one is beyond my power. I don’t think I should answer questions like that. Let me focus on what concerns me,” he said.