Lagos State lawmaker, Desmond Elliot, has rejected the outcome of the All Progressives Congress primary election for Surulere Constituency I, insisting that he would challenge the process through the party’s appeal mechanism.
PUNCH Online reports that Elliot lost the APC ticket for a return to the Lagos State House of Assembly after Barakat Odunuga-Bakare defeated him in Wednesday’s primary election.
Odunuga-Bakare, believed to enjoy the backing of the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, polled 11,385 votes to emerge the winner of the contest, while Elliot secured 270 votes.
Reacting to the outcome in a chat with reporters on Wednesday, the lawmaker said he was dissatisfied with the conduct of the primary and would formally challenge the process.
“We are appealing, and as I say, it is not a do-or-die affair. I’m here to serve the people. That’s my home. They come to my house.
“So, I’m not going to say any more than this, other than the fact that we are not accepting this process. But the party has also, in its magnanimity, given us an opportunity to appeal,” he said.
Elliot alleged that violence and intimidation marred the exercise, claiming that several of his supporters sustained injuries during the primary.
“Nobody was killed. But a lot of people were really maimed. There are videos of people going to the hospital.
“This is just primaries. It is not a do-or-die affair. In different wards, people are being intimidated. I have been talking about intimidation for a long time,” he added.
The lawmaker further alleged that many of his supporters were denied access to the voting venue.
“Why I decided to say I was not going to accept the process was because when I entered, I discovered that virtually all my supporters were outside, and I kept asking, ‘Why were they not coming in?’” Elliot said.
“The next thing I heard is that in 20 minutes they’re going to stop. How can you stop in 20 minutes?” he queried.
The lawmaker also questioned claims that some membership cards presented by his supporters were fake.
“I was hearing that the cards were fake. The only way you can verify if a card is fake is when they go through the verification process and allow them to do that process. So why would you say they are fake?” he asked.
Elliot also stated that he never withdrew from the race, explaining that he only directed his supporters and agents to stop participating in the voting process over alleged irregularities.
“The only person who can ask me to step down is the party. If the party says Desmond go down, that is when I will step down because I’m a party person,” Elliot said.
Despite the controversy, the actor-turned-politician said he remained committed to the APC and the people of Surulere Constituency.
