Lagos lawmaker apologises over APC primary dispute as political reconciliation gathers attention
LAGOS — Lagos State House of Assembly member, Desmond Elliot, has apologised to Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, over his actions during the last All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election in Lagos.
Elliot was seen in a video circulating on social media kneeling before Gbajabiamila and pleading for forgiveness while seeking to be reintegrated into the ruling APC structure in Lagos.
“I’m sorry, I have no excuse, I have nothing other than to say I’m deeply sorry and I am hoping to be cultured in the future,” Elliot said in the video.
The development comes against the backdrop of a political disagreement between Elliot and elements of the APC leadership following the party’s primary election for the Surulere Constituency I seat in May.
Elliot had withdrawn from the exercise, alleging intimidation and political pressure against his supporters.
He subsequently rejected the outcome of the primary and indicated that he would challenge the process through the party’s appeal mechanism.
Elliot eventually lost the APC ticket to Barakat Odunuga-Bakare, who was reported to have enjoyed the backing of Gbajabiamila.
Odunuga-Bakare secured 11,385 votes to defeat Elliot, who polled 270 votes in the primary.
The primary generated political tension within the constituency, particularly because of the longstanding political relationship between Elliot and Gbajabiamila.
Elliot’s latest apology appears to signal an attempt to resolve the disagreement and rebuild his relationship with the APC leadership ahead of the next phase of political activities in Lagos.
The lawmaker’s decision to publicly seek forgiveness has also attracted reactions among political observers and supporters, with attention now focused on whether the gesture will lead to his full reintegration into the APC’s political structure.
Gbajabiamila, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives and influential figure within Lagos politics, has remained a major political figure in the state and a close ally of President Bola Tinubu.
For Elliot, the apology represents a significant political reconciliation effort following the disagreement over the Surulere Constituency I primary.
IBN News reports that the development could have implications for political alignments within the APC in Surulere and Lagos State as the party continues to manage internal disagreements and position itself for future elections.
