Nollywood actor-turned-politician Desmond Elliot, who represents Surulere I in the Lagos State House of Assembly, has officially withdrawn from race for fresh nomination.
He made the announcement on Wednesday in a viral video that quickly spread across social media, citing intimidation and obstruction during the primaries.
In the video, Elliot stated: “My name is Desmond Elliot. In all zones, they have been intimidating and stopping us. I want to officially announce my withdrawal from this particular race.
“This is my ward, if you go outside, those are my people outside, and they have not been allowed so I am officially announcing my withdrawal from this race. Good luck, thank you.”
Elliot, who has served three consecutive terms as a member in the Lagos State House of Assembly, representing Surulere Constituency I, was seeking a fourth term in office to move to the House of Representatives.
He was cut short after he reportedly lost the Surulere Constituency I primary election in a tense contest marked by allegations of harassment, internal party disagreements, and heightened political rivalry.
The lawmaker’s political journey has been complicated by a prolonged rift with former allies, many of whom withdrew support for his re-election bid. Party stakeholders allegedly urged him to step aside for fellow aspirant Barakat Odunuga-Bakare, but Elliot refused, insisting on pursuing his ambition.
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Tensions escalated during Wednesday’s primary election as Elliot’s supporters alleged widespread intimidation and harassment aimed at preventing them from voting. His media team claimed deliberate attempts were made to suppress votes in his favor, insisting that journalists and party observers documented the incidents.
According to the team, footage of the alleged harassment will be made public, adding that concerns over the credibility of the exercise had been raised even before voting began.
“We already knew that it was not going to be a free and fair primary, which is why members of Desmond Elliot’s media team invited conventional media organizations to monitor and document the process,” a member of the team said.
As of press time, the Lagos APC leadership has not issued an official response to the allegations surrounding the conduct of the Surulere primaries.
