Hon. Desmond Elliot has officially withdrawn from the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries for the Surulere I seat in the Lagos State House of Assembly, citing alleged intimidation and irregularities in the electoral process.

The lawmaker announced his withdrawal on Wednesday at the primary venue in Surulere, Lagos, bringing an abrupt end to his re-election bid under the All Progressives Congress.

Elliot said the decision followed what he described as the systematic exclusion of his supporters from the accreditation process, despite being duly registered members of the party.

According to him, repeated appeals to electoral officials to address the situation were ignored. “I want to officially announce my withdrawal from this race,” he declared, noting that continuing under such conditions could trigger unrest among party members.

The actor-turned-politician further alleged that his political camp had been subjected to intimidation in the lead-up to the primaries, with some loyalists reportedly denied access to the voting venue.

He emphasized that his withdrawal was necessary to preserve peace and avoid any breakdown of law and order. The development comes as a surprise, given Elliot’s earlier stance ahead of the primaries.

He had publicly insisted he would not step down from the contest, maintaining that he had not been pressured by any party leader to withdraw.

His exit underscores growing concerns over internal disputes and allegations of unfair practices within the APC primaries in Lagos State, particularly in Surulere, where tensions have been high among competing factions.

Party officials are yet to issue an official response to Elliot’s claims as of press time.