/ Jul 05, 2026
/ Jul 05, 2026

Desmond Elliot loses APC ticket in Surulere primary upset

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Actor-turned-politician Desmond Elliot has lost his bid to secure the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket to contest for another term in the Lagos State House of Assembly.

 

TheCable reported that Elliot was defeated by Barakat Odunuga-Bakare in the APC primary election held on Wednesday in Surulere Constituency I.

Odunuga-Bakare, who is reportedly backed by Femi Gbajabiamila, polled 11,385 votes, while Elliot secured 270 votes across the constituency.

According to results circulating in a viral video, Odunuga-Bakare dominated most wards in the contest. At Owolewa Open Field off Randle Avenue, she secured 1,956 votes against Elliot’s 10 votes.

She also recorded 1,805 votes in the Iponri/Eric Moore ward, while Elliot managed six votes. In the Akinhanmi/Cole ward, Odunuga-Bakare polled 2,191 votes compared to Elliot’s 82 votes.

At Gbaja Stadium ward, Elliot failed to secure any vote as the female aspirant polled 523 votes. She also defeated the incumbent lawmaker in the Yaba/Ojuelegba ward with 980 votes against his three votes.

Elliot’s only notable lead came in the Shitta/Ogunlana ward, where he secured 270 votes, while Odunuga-Bakare polled 169 votes.

The lawmaker had been seeking a fourth term in the Lagos assembly after representing the constituency for three consecutive terms.

TheCable linked Elliot’s defeat to his strained relationship with Gbajabiamila following the 2025 impeachment of Mudashiru Obasa.

Gbajabiamila had recently told political stakeholders in Surulere that Elliot’s role in the impeachment saga nearly cost him his position as chief of staff to President Bola Tinubu.

He also claimed he asked Elliot to publicly distance himself from the impeachment plot, but the lawmaker allegedly failed to do so.

Elliot, however, said he believed the move against Obasa had the backing of President Tinubu and described himself and others involved as “confused” during the political crisis.

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