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By Oscar Okhifo
The political future of Desmond Elliot took a dramatic turn after he withdrew from the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary for Surulere Constituency I, amid allegations of intimidation and restricted access for his supporters.
Elliot’s withdrawal came during a tense and closely watched primary election in Lagos State, which had already been marked by internal disputes and rising political tensions within the ruling party.
The development has been linked to lingering fallout from the impeachment crisis involving Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, which reportedly reshaped alliances within the state chapter of the APC.
The Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, had earlier criticised Elliot over his handling of the leadership tussle, despite reported directives from party leaders urging restraint.
Although Elliot later defended himself and issued a public apology, political insiders say the episode weakened his standing ahead of the primary.
In the build-up to the election, party stakeholders were reportedly pushing for him to step down in favour of another aspirant, Barakat Odunuga-Bakare, but he declined and went ahead with his ambition.
Tensions peaked during the exercise amid reports of intimidation and restricted access to polling areas, with allegations of voter suppression raised by his camp.
In a video circulating on social media, Elliot was seen announcing his withdrawal from the race while alleging harassment of his supporters and obstruction at polling units.
“My name is Desmond Elliot. My supporters have been facing intimidation. They are not allowed in. I want to officially announce my withdrawal from the race. Good luck,” he said in the footage, raising his hands in resignation.
Following the withdrawal, the Lagos State chapter of the APC has yet to issue an official response to allegations of irregularities that trailed the primary election.