Lagos State House of Assembly member, Desmond Elliot, has apologised to Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, following a political disagreement linked to the last All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election in Lagos.
Elliot was seen in a video circulating on social media kneeling before Gbajabiamila while pleading for forgiveness and seeking to rebuild his relationship with the APC leadership in Lagos.
During the encounter, the lawmaker acknowledged his actions and expressed regret over the disagreement with Gbajabiamila, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives.
“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.
The apology comes months after a dispute surrounding the APC primary election for the Surulere Constituency I seat in Lagos.
Elliot had participated in the primary but later withdrew from the exercise, alleging intimidation and political pressure against his supporters.
Following his withdrawal, he rejected the outcome of the primary and indicated that he would pursue the matter through the party’s internal appeal mechanism.
The primary was eventually won by Barakat Odunuga-Bakare, who secured 11,385 votes, while Elliot polled 270 votes.
Odunuga-Bakare subsequently emerged as the APC candidate for the Surulere Constituency I seat.
The latest development appears to signal Elliot’s efforts to resolve the disagreement and restore his relationship with Gbajabiamila and other influential figures within the APC structure in Lagos.
Elliot has represented Surulere Constituency I in the Lagos State House of Assembly and remains a prominent political figure in the constituency.
His decision to publicly apologise comes amid continued political realignments within Lagos ahead of future elections, with party cohesion and internal relationships expected to remain significant factors in determining political contests.
