Lagos State lawmaker Desmond Elliot has rejected the outcome of the All Progressives Congress primary election for Surulere Constituency I, insisting that he would challenge the process through the party’s appeal mechanism.
Elliot lost the APC ticket for a return to the Lagos State House of Assembly after Barakat Odunuga-Bakare defeated him in Wednesday’s primary election.
Odunuga-Bakare, who is believed to enjoy the backing of the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, polled 11,385 votes, while Elliot secured 270 votes.
Reacting to the outcome, Elliot expressed dissatisfaction with the conduct of the exercise, stating that the process was flawed.
“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 alleged that violence and intimidation marred the primary, claiming several of his supporters sustained injuries during the exercise.
“Nobody was killed. But a lot of people were really maimed. There are videos of people going to the hospital.
“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 queried.
He further questioned claims that some membership cards presented by his supporters were fake, insisting that proper verification procedures were not followed.
