Popular Nollywood actor and Lagos State House of Assembly member, Desmond Elliot, had pulled out of the All Progressives Congress primary election for Surulere 1, citing alleged harassment and exclusion of his supporters from the exercise.
Elliot announced his withdrawal on Wednesday, at the Paddington Mini Stadium, Western Avenue, Lagos, where the APC primary was taking place.
Addressing party members and supporters, the lawmaker accused officials overseeing the exercise of refusing to grant his supporters access into the venue despite repeated appeals.
According to him, intimidation and obstruction were recorded across various zones, forcing him to step down from the contest to prevent possible violence.
“This is my ward. Those outside are my people, but they have not been allowed in despite all appeals,” he said before formally announcing his withdrawal from the race.
Following the announcement, supporters of the three-term lawmaker staged a peaceful protest before leaving the venue alongside him.
Elliot maintained that no political ambition was worth bloodshed, stressing the need to preserve peace and order during the party’s internal process.
He also urged the APC leadership to guarantee fairness, transparency and credibility in the conduct of its primaries across Lagos State.
His withdrawal paved the way for rival aspirant, Odunuga-Bakare, to clinch the party’s ticket for the constituency.
The development adds to the growing tension surrounding the APC primaries in some parts of the country, where allegations of imposition, intimidation and internal power struggles have continued to trail the exercise.
