Nollywood actor and member of Lagos House of Assembly, Surulere 1 Constituency, Hon Desmond Elliot has spoken out about intimidation and coercion by party members and leaders of his supporters and followers.
The member of the Lagos Assembly seeking the fourth-term post has faced opposition from some party leaders who are endorsing Barrister Barakat Odunuga Bakare to run for the same post in Surulere 1 constituency.
Desmond, who released a video, alleged intimidation of his supporters and followers, urging a free and fair primary election for the Lagos State Assembly of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday, May 20, 2016.
He commended the president, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and party leaders for allowing direct primaries, as this would test the popularity of the aspirants across the board, but complained that some party leaders were giving undue advantage to other candidates.
” It is disheartening that coercion, intimidation, arm twisting of members to follow their candidates is what is happening in Surulere. Telling them that they will not be beneficiaries of some empowerment programs if they don’t support their candidate. Please this is not good and should not be done as we are members of the same party.
”We have been intimidated so much so, a member of the local government has been fired because they follow me.
It is bad that the LGA have already taken sides months ago to support a particular aspirant. I didn’t say anything but they were shocked to have seen the quantum number of people who have followed us because they believe in justice and fair play.
”My security personnel was taken away from me yesterday (Saturday), for reasons best know to them, I don’t know. what have I done? They are coming out to fight us and what to bring people from outside and within to cause mayhem and to cause trouble.
”Pls allow for a free and fair election on the 20th of May, 2026,” Desmond voiced out.
Chief of Staff to the president and former Speak of the Federal House of Representatives, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, in a video had fingered Hon Desmond Elliot for going against the president in joining state assembly members to edge out the Lagos speaker, Hon Mudasiru Obasa before he was reinstated.
Gbajabiamila stated that he almost lost his post as Chief of Staff, as President Tinubu told him that Desmond who was his boy,was part of those who plotted the removal of the speaker months back. Gbajabiamila voiced out that he had denied the assertion and called Desmond to remove himself from the plot as the president was against the move.
This development may have severed Desmond’s relationship with Gbajabiamila.
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