Nollywood actor-turned-politician, Desmond Elliot, has officially withdrawn from the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election for the Lagos State House of Assembly seat representing Surulere Constituency I.
Naija News reports that the lawmaker personally announced his withdrawal on Wednesday through a video circulating on social media.
According to Elliot, intimidation targeted at him and his supporters forced his decision to step down from the contest. He alleged that many of his supporters were denied access to the venue of the primary election, preventing them from casting votes in his favour.
Elliot, who currently represents the constituency in the Lagos State House of Assembly, had been contesting the APC ticket for the 2027 election against Barakat Odunuga.
However, speaking during the exercise, the Chairman of Surulere Local Government, Bamidele Yusuf, maintained that the atmosphere at the venue remained peaceful as accreditation and registration of delegates commenced ahead of voting.
Yusuf dismissed claims circulating online about intimidation of party members, insisting that the process was transparent and credible.
He also noted that the APC had already concluded its Senate and House of Representatives primaries before proceeding with the House of Assembly election.
Meanwhile, reports had earlier indicated that Elliot’s ambition to secure a fourth term in the Lagos State House of Assembly created tension between him and the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila.
Gbajabiamila was reportedly backing former Lagos Special Adviser on Housing, Barakat Odunuga-Bakare, as a replacement for Elliot in the Assembly.
The move was said to be part of efforts aimed at encouraging greater female representation and gender inclusion in politics.
Sources quoted by Vanguard claimed the development unsettled Elliot, who was determined to test his popularity during the APC primaries.
The report further alleged that attempts by influential figures to lobby President Bola Tinubu on Elliot’s behalf did not yield positive results.