Lagos State lawmaker Desmond Elliot has rejected the outcome of the All Progressives Congress primary election for Surulere Constituency I and vowed to challenge the process through the party’s appeal mechanism, alleging that the exercise was marred by violence and widespread intimidation.
Lagos State lawmaker Desmond Elliot has rejected the outcome of the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election for Surulere Constituency I, insisting that he will formally challenge the process through the party’s internal appeal mechanism. Elliot, an incumbent representative, lost his bid for a return ticket to the Lagos State House of Assembly after Barakat Odunuga-Bakare emerged as the winner in Wednesday’s primary election. Odunuga-Bakare, who is widely believed to have the political backing of the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, secured a landslide victory by polling 11,385 votes, while Elliot managed to secure only 270 votes. Speaking to reporters shortly after the results were announced, Elliot expressed deep dissatisfaction with the entire conduct of the primary election but maintained a measured posture regarding his political future, stating: “We are appealing, and as I say, it is not a do-or-die affair. I’m here to serve the people. That’s my home. They come to my house. So, I’m not going to say any more than this, other than the fact that we are not accepting this process. But the party has also, in its magnanimity, given us an opportunity to appeal.”
The lawmaker raised serious structural concerns over the safety and integrity of the democratic exercise, alleging that violence and systemic intimidation were deliberately deployed to manipulate the numbers across the constituency. According to Elliot, the aggressive tactics used by opposing political thugs created a hostile environment that prevented a free and fair count, forcing many eligible delegates and party members to stay away out of fear for their physical safety. The embattled actor-turned-politician claimed that several of his loyalists and polling agents sustained various degrees of physical injuries during the chaotic primary. Lamenting the nature of the confrontation, he noted: “Nobody was killed. But a lot of people were really maimed. There are videos of people going to the hospital. This is just primaries. It is not a do-or-die affair. In different wards, people are being intimidated. I have been talking about intimidation for a long time.”
The high-stakes electoral upset in Surulere has sent shockwaves through the Lagos State chapter of the APC, as it marks a significant shift in the internal power dynamics of the area. Political analysts observe that the overwhelming victory recorded by Odunuga-Bakare highlights the formidable influence of Gbajabiamila’s political machinery within his traditional stronghold, rendering Elliot’s decade-long incumbency vulnerable. As the disgruntled lawmaker compiles video evidence and medical receipts to present before the APC Appeal Committee, party leaders face the delicate task of resolving the factional friction without fracturing the party’s unity ahead of the main legislative elections. For now, the national secretariat of the ruling party has urged all aggrieved aspirants to remain calm and utilize the designated legal frameworks to address their structural grievances.
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