By Olasunkanmi Akoni
An embattled member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Desmond Elliott, has accused some leaders of the All Progressives Congress,APC, in Surulere of intimidation, political victimisation and attempts to manipulate the party’s forthcoming primaries.
In a viral video circulated on Sunday, the lawmaker alleged that party members were being coerced and threatened to support a preferred aspirant ahead of the APC primaries scheduled for May 20, 2026.
Elliott claimed that some local government officials had allegedly been removed from their positions because of their support for him, describing the situation within the Surulere APC as unfair and troubling.
“Intimidation, coercion, twisting and forcing people to follow their own candidate is what is existing today in Surulere,” he said.
“Telling them that they will not be beneficiaries of some empowerment that is coming some other time. Please, this is not done and should not be done.”
The actor-turned-politician alleged that the local government leadership openly backed another aspirant long before the primaries, adding that he initially chose to remain silent despite the alleged bias.
“It is bad enough that the LGA and the local government already took a side months ago. The local government already took a side to support a particular aspirant,” Elliott lamented.
According to him, the level of support he enjoys within the constituency may have unsettled his political opponents.
“They were shocked to have seen the quantum number of people and supporters that we’ve had and who have followed us because they believe in justice and fair play,
“My security aid was taken away from me yesterday for reasons best known to them. Now I am left alone to myself. What have I done?” he queried.
He alleged that,: “They are coming out to fight us. They want to bring people from outside and from within to cause mayhem and trouble.”
Elliot therefore, appealed to party leaders to intervene and ensure that the exercise is peaceful, transparent and credible.
“I want to ask our party chieftains, please investigate this matter,” he said.
Despite his complaints, the Surulere lawmaker said he would accept the outcome of the primaries if the process is free and fair.
“By the grace of God, if I, Desmond Olusola Elliott, win, Alhamdulillah. If I lose, I will throw my support behind the winner. But please let it be under a free and fair election,” he added.
Elliot also urged his supporters not to be intimidated, assuring them that adequate security would be provided during the exercise.
He further used the video to campaign for other APC candidates, including Wasiu Eshilokun, Kadri Obafemi Hamzat and Bola Tinubu.
The allegations are expected to deepen concerns over internal divisions within the APC in Surulere amid growing claims of candidate imposition and factional rivalry ahead of the party primaries.
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