Three-term Lagos lawmaker and actor-turned-politician, Desmond Elliot, has lost the All Progressives Congress primary election for Surulere Constituency I amid controversy surrounding the exercise.
Elliot, who currently represents Surulere Constituency I in the Lagos State House of Assembly, was seeking a fourth term in office but lost after a tense primary contest marked by internal party disagreements and allegations of intimidation.
Party stakeholders had reportedly pressured him to withdraw from the race in favour of another aspirant, Barakat Odunuga-Bakare, who was also vying for the seat. However, Elliot refused to step down and continued with his re-election bid.
Tensions heightened during Wednesday’s primary election as supporters of the lawmaker alleged that intimidation and harassment were used to stop them from taking part in the voting process.
Ahead of the primary election, the lawmaker had raised concerns over alleged political intimidation and coercion within the Surulere chapter of the APC.
In a viral video circulated on Sunday, Elliot accused unnamed party leaders and local government officials of allegedly pressuring party members to support a preferred aspirant ahead of the House of Assembly primaries held on May 20.
“Intimidation, coercion, twisting and forcing people to follow their own candidate is what exists today in Surulere,” Elliot said.
“Telling them that they will not be beneficiaries of some empowerment that is coming some other time. Please, this is not done and should not be done.”
The lawmaker also alleged that some local government officials lost their positions because they supported him, while the local government leadership had openly backed another aspirant months before the primary election.
Elliot further claimed that his security aides were withdrawn without explanation shortly before the primaries.
“My security personnel were taken away from me yesterday for reasons best known to them. Now I am left alone to myself. What have I done?” he queried.
He also raised concerns over possible violence during the primaries and appealed to APC leaders to ensure a peaceful, transparent and credible process.
Despite the allegations, Elliot maintained that he would accept the outcome of the primaries if the process was free and fair.
The controversy comes days after Elliot publicly apologised to the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila over his alleged involvement in the removal of the Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker Mudashiru Obasa from office in January 2025.