Desmond Elliot has vowed to challenge the outcome of the All Progressives Congress primary election after losing the party’s ticket to seek another term in the Lagos State House of Assembly.
The lawmaker representing Surulere Constituency I was defeated by Barakat Odunuga-Bakare during the party primaries held on Wednesday. Odunuga-Bakare, reportedly backed by Femi Gbajabiamila, secured a landslide victory over Elliot in the contest.
Reacting to the result, Elliot rejected claims that he had withdrawn from the race, explaining that he only instructed his agents and supporters to pull out of the voting process due to alleged irregularities and intimidation during the exercise.
The actor-turned-politician accused organisers of denying many of his supporters access to participate in the election, while also alleging cases of violence and intimidation across different wards in the constituency.
According to him, several individuals were injured during the exercise, although no deaths were recorded. He claimed there were videos showing victims receiving medical treatment following the incidents.
Elliot insisted that he remains loyal to the party and would only step down if officially directed by the APC leadership. He added that the party’s appeal process gives him the opportunity to challenge the conduct of the primaries.
He further questioned why his supporters were allegedly prevented from participating in the accreditation process, arguing that claims about fake membership cards should have been properly verified instead of automatically disqualifying voters.
Despite the setback, Elliot maintained that the contest should not be treated as a “do-or-die affair” and reaffirmed his commitment to serving the people of his constituency.
