Desmond Elliot has officially withdrawn from the All Progressives Congress (APC) Lagos State House of Assembly primaries for Surulere Constituency 1 following rising tension and allegations of voter exclusion at the venue.
The lawmaker arrived at the Paddington Mini Stadium alongside his supporters and entourage but alleged that many of his loyalists were denied access to the polling venue by electoral officials.
Speaking to journalists, Elliot said several appeals were made to officials to allow his supporters into the venue, but all efforts proved unsuccessful.
The development comes shortly after the actor-turned-politician publicly apologised to Femi Gbajabiamila during an appearance on TVC’s Your View, admitting that he may have offended the former Speaker during past political engagements.
Elliot stressed that any misunderstanding was unintentional, reaffirming his commitment to party unity and grassroots development in Surulere.
The apology followed revelations by Gbajabiamila that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had once confronted him over intelligence reports allegedly linking Elliot to the Lagos State House of Assembly crisis involving the impeachment and reinstatement of Speaker Mudashiru Obasa — allegations Elliot reportedly denied.
Amid mounting tension at the primary venue on Wednesday, Elliot’s supporters staged a peaceful protest before leaving with the lawmaker.
Explaining his decision to step down from the race, Elliot said he acted to prevent violence and avoid any possible loss of life.
“I want to officially announce my withdrawal from this particular race. Good luck, thank you, and God bless you,” he stated.
The primaries were eventually stalled as tensions escalated over claims that some party members were deliberately excluded from participating in the process.
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