A fresh political crisis has erupted within the Surulere chapter of the All Progressives Congress over the fourth-term ambition of actor-turned-lawmaker Desmond Elliot to represent Surulere 1 Constituency in the Lagos State House of Assembly.
The move has reportedly created a major rift between Elliot and the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, who is said to be backing former Lagos Special Adviser on Housing, Barakat Odunuga-Bakare, for the seat.
Party insiders said Gbajabiamila’s support for Odunuga-Bakare is part of efforts to promote gender inclusion and encourage more female representation in politics.
However, Elliot has remained determined to contest the APC House of Assembly primary scheduled for Wednesday, insisting he still enjoys strong grassroots support within Surulere.
Sources disclosed that Elliot’s attempt to secure a fourth term suffered a setback after President Bola Tinubu reportedly rejected repeated appeals from influential individuals lobbying on his behalf.
According to sources familiar with the development, several prominent figures — including a retired military officer, a serving minister, a senator and another ally of the President — allegedly approached Tinubu at different times to seek support for Elliot’s ambition.
However, the President was said to have refused to interfere with the decision already taken by APC stakeholders in Surulere, who had endorsed Odunuga-Bakare.
Tinubu reportedly maintained that the party’s internal democratic process should be respected and declined to go against Gbajabiamila, whom he described as a long-standing political leader and major stakeholder in Surulere politics.
Sources quoted the President as saying the direct primary election would determine who truly commands political support within the Surulere APC structure.
“If the people who carried Desmond for 12 years can no longer defend him, that says everything about the boy’s character and performance,” Tinubu was quoted as saying during one of the meetings.
Amid the growing tension, Elliot publicly appealed to Gbajabiamila for forgiveness while speaking after obtaining his nomination form.
“Our leader is a compassionate leader. A leader of thought. We are children. Children sometimes err. If I have erred in any way, my leader, I am sorry. Give me another chance,” Elliot said.
The lawmaker defended his bid for a fourth term, arguing that legislative experience translates into better representation and more benefits for constituents.
But Gbajabiamila later revealed that Elliot’s alleged involvement in the crisis surrounding the Lagos Assembly speakership tussle nearly cost him his job as Chief of Staff.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting in Lagos, Gbajabiamila disclosed that President Tinubu confronted him during the crisis over reports linking Elliot to moves aimed at destabilising the Assembly during the controversy involving former Speaker Mudashiru Obasa.
“I almost lost my job because of Desmond Elliot last year,” Gbajabiamila said.
According to him, Tinubu questioned him directly in Abuja over Elliot’s alleged role in the crisis.
He explained that he defended Elliot before the President and later advised the lawmaker to publicly distance himself from the controversy, but claimed Elliot never did so.
“If not for the kind of relationship I have with the President today, I probably would not still be here as Chief of Staff,” he added.
Meanwhile, Elliot has accused some APC leaders in Surulere of intimidation, victimisation and attempting to manipulate the party’s primary election.
The lawmaker alleged that party members were being pressured to support a preferred aspirant and claimed that some local government officials had lost their positions because of their support for him.
“Intimidation, coercion, twisting and forcing people to follow their candidate is what exists today in Surulere,” Elliot alleged.
He also claimed his security aide had been withdrawn and questioned the motive behind the action.
Despite his complaints, Elliot said he would accept the outcome of the primary election if the process is free and fair.
The political tide appears to be shifting further against the actor-politician after the Director-General of his fourth-term campaign organisation, Bless Koye, defected to support Odunuga-Bakare.
In a viral video, Koye announced that he had instructed his supporters to work for her candidacy.
Odunuga-Bakare’s campaign also received a boost after five other aspirants reportedly stepped down and endorsed her ahead of the APC primary.
The aspirants said they backed her because of their confidence in her ability to provide effective representation for Surulere residents.
However, Elliot still enjoys support from some political figures, including former lawmaker Kabiru Lawal, who praised the actor’s performance at the Assembly.
Lawal argued that Elliot’s experience in the legislature could position Surulere for greater political influence, including a possible opportunity to produce the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly in the future.
He appealed to party leaders to allow Elliot complete one more term before handing over the seat to another aspirant.
