Desmond Elliot Apologises Over APC Primary Dispute
Desmond Elliot has apologised to Femi Gbajabiamila after a dispute over the APC primary election in Lagos.
Lagos lawmaker Desmond Elliot has apologised to Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, following a dispute linked to the last APC primary election in Lagos.
Elliot, a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, was shown in a video circulating on social media kneeling before Gbajabiamila and asking for forgiveness. He also appealed for a return to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) fold in Lagos.
“I’m sorry, I have no excuse, I have nothing other than to say I’m deeply sorry and I am hoping to be cultured in the future,” Elliot said.
The apology came after tensions between Elliot and the APC leadership following the party’s primary election for the Surulere Constituency I seat in May.
Elliot had pulled out of the primary, claiming that his supporters faced intimidation and political pressure during the process. He later rejected the result and said he would use the party’s internal appeal process to challenge the conduct and outcome of the exercise.
However, Elliot ultimately lost the APC ticket to Barakat Odunuga-Bakare, who was widely believed to have the backing of Gbajabiamila.
The results showed a significant difference between the two candidates. Odunuga-Bakare secured 11,385 votes, while Elliot received 270 votes.
The latest development signals an attempt by Elliot to mend relations with the party leadership following the disagreement over the primary. His public apology and request for reintegration come as the political relationship between the lawmaker and key figures within the Lagos APC continues to draw attention.
The dispute centred on the internal contest for the Surulere Constituency I ticket, with Elliot raising concerns about the process before eventually seeking redress through the party’s established appeal to publicly seek forgiveness from Gbajabiamila now adds a new turn to the political dispute, particularly given the large gap between the votes mechanism.
Elliot’s decision to publicly seek forgiveness from Gbajabiamila now adds a new turn to the political dispute, particularly given the large gap between the votes recorded by the two candidates during the primary.
Will Desmond Elliot’s apology help restore his relationship with the APC leadership in Lagos?
