Lagos State House of Assembly member Desmond Elliot has contested the results of the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary for Surulere Constituency I, declaring his intention to fight the outcome via the party’s official appeal channels.
The actor-turned-politician missed out on the APC ticket for his reelection bid following a defeat by Barakat Odunuga-Bakare in the primary held on Wednesday.
Odunuga-Bakare, who is widely seen as having the endorsement of Femi Gbajabiamila, the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, secured the victory with 11,385 votes, compared to the 270 votes garnered by Elliot.
Speaking with journalists following the election on Wednesday, Elliot expressed his deep dissatisfaction with how the primary was run and confirmed he would file a formal challenge.
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“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 asserted that the election was compromised by violence and voter intimidation, stating that numerous individuals backing his campaign were hurt during the event.
“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.
Additionally, Elliot claimed that a significant portion of his voter base was barred from entering the polling site.
“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.
He further disputed allegations that the membership cards carried by his loyalists were counterfeit.
“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.
Read Also: Gbajabiamila Reacts As Desmond Elliot Withdraws From Primary Over Intimidation
Clarifying rumors about his status in the election, Elliot emphasized that he did not pull out of the contest.
Instead, he explained that he instructed his agents and voters to halt their participation because of the observed 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.
Concluding his remarks, Elliot maintained that regardless of the ongoing dispute, he stays dedicated to both the APC and the constituents of Surulere Constituency.
