Desmond Elliot Rejects APC Primary Result, Vows to Challenge Outcome

Lagos State lawmaker, Desmond Elliot, has rejected the outcome of the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election for Surulere Constituency I, insisting he will be challenging the result through the party’s internal appeal process.

Reports from the exercise indicate that Elliot lost the party’s ticket to Barakat Odunuga-Bakare, who secured 11,385 votes, while the incumbent legislator polled 270 votes in the contest held on Wednesday.

Reacting to the development while speaking with journalists, Elliot expressed dissatisfaction with how the primary was conducted and confirmed plans to formally contest the outcome. He said, “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.

The lawmaker also raised concerns about alleged violence during the exercise, claiming that some of his supporters were injured. He stated, “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.

Elliot Alleges Irregularities in APC Primary Process

Elliot further alleged that several of his supporters were prevented from accessing the voting venue, and that the process was abruptly concluded. He said, “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?’

“The next thing I heard is that in 20 minutes they’re going to stop. How can you stop in 20 minutes?” he queried.

He also questioned claims regarding alleged fake membership cards presented by his supporters, insisting due verification was not properly carried out. “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.

Clarifying his position, Elliot stated that he did not withdraw from the race but only directed his supporters to step back due to irregularities observed during the process. He added, “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 surrounding the primary, the actor-turned-politician reaffirmed his loyalty to the APC and his commitment to representing the people of Surulere Constituency.