Lawmaker representing Surulere Constituency I in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Desmond Elliot, has rejected the outcome of the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election, insisting that he would appeal the process that produced Barakat Odunuga-Bakare as the party’s candidate.
Odunuga-Bakare, who is reportedly backed by the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, defeated Elliot during Wednesday’s primary election held across the constituency.
According to the declared results, Odunuga-Bakare secured 11,385 votes, while Elliot polled 270 votes across the wards.
Speaking after the exercise, the actor-turned-politician denied reports that he stepped down from the race, explaining that he only directed his agents and supporters to withdraw from the voting process due to alleged irregularities and intimidation.
“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,” he said.
“But the party has also, in its magnanimity, given us an opportunity to appeal.
“We were appealing, and as I say, it is not a do-or-die affair. I’m here to serve the people. I mean, that’s my home. They come to my house.”
Elliot insisted that his camp would not accept the outcome of the primary election, stressing that they would challenge the process through the party’s appeal mechanism.
“So, if I am here to serve you as a person, why will some people feel it shouldn’t happen? So, I’m not going to say any more than this, other than the fact that we are not accepting this process. I am not withdrawing.
“Why I said withdraw then is that I’m withdrawing my agents from participating in the voting process. But we are appealing the process. We are definitely appealing,” he added.
The lawmaker further alleged that the exercise was marred by violence and intimidation against his supporters.
“Nobody was killed. But a lot of people were really maimed. There are videos of people going to the hospital,” he said.
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“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.”
Elliot also questioned why his opponents allegedly prevented some of his supporters from accessing the voting venue despite having control of the party structure.
“If you know you have done well for the people, why are you now worried? You have the machinery of the structure with you.
“I don’t have the structure. You have everything with you. Then why are you scared? Why don’t you just go to the field,” he stated.
The lawmaker additionally claimed that many of his supporters were denied participation during the accreditation process.
“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 said.
“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 that process. So, why would you say they are fake?”