Elliot Rejects Lagos APC Primary Result, Moves to Challenge Process
A member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Desmond Elliot, has rejected the outcome of the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election for Surulere Constituency I, describing the process as flawed and vowing to challenge it through the party’s internal mechanisms.
Elliot, who has represented the constituency since 2015 under the platform of the All Progressives Congress, lost the party’s ticket to his challenger, Barakat Odunuga-Bakare, in the primary held in Lagos on Wednesday.
Reacting shortly after the announcement of results, Elliot said the exercise was marred by irregularities, including alleged intimidation of his supporters and restricted access to the voting venue. “We are appealing, and it is not a do-or-die affair.
I’m here to serve the people. That’s my home. But we are not accepting this process,” he said. The lawmaker also dismissed earlier reports suggesting he had withdrawn from the race, clarifying that while he remained a contestant, he had instructed his agents to step aside after many of his supporters were allegedly prevented from participating in the accreditation and voting process.
According to him, the situation in several wards was tense, with claims that some of his supporters were harassed and injured during the exercise. He described the development as troubling, particularly for an internal party contest.
The Surulere primary is one of several APC exercises in Lagos that have drawn criticism amid allegations of candidate imposition and disputes over consensus arrangements. Party stakeholders in different constituencies have raised concerns about transparency and fairness in the ongoing primaries.
Despite rejecting the outcome, Elliot reaffirmed his loyalty to the APC, stating that he would pursue redress through established party channels rather than resort to external confrontation.
The development adds to growing tensions within the Lagos chapter of the APC as it prepares for upcoming elections, with internal disagreements threatening party cohesion in key constituencies.
