Desmond Elliott, member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, says he will appeal the outcome of the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election in Surulere constituency 1, insisting that he never stepped down from the race.
On Wednesday, Elliott lost the APC ticket for a return to the Lagos assembly after polling 270 votes against Barakat Odunuga-Bakare, who secured 11,385 votes in the primary.
Odunuga-Bakare is reportedly backed by Femi Gbajabiamila, chief of staff to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Reacting to the outcome in a statement, Elliott said only the party leadership could ask him to withdraw from the contest.
“The only person who can ask me to step down is the party,” he said.
“If the party says Desmond go down, that is when I will step down because I’m a party person.”
The lawmaker said the APC had provided an avenue for aggrieved aspirants to challenge the process and that he intends to utilise it.
“But the party has also, in its magnanimity, given us an opportunity to appeal,” he said.
“We are appealing, and as I say, it is not a do-or-die affair.”
I DIDN’T WITHDRAW FROM THE EXERCISE
Elliott denied reports that he withdrew from the primary, explaining that he only pulled out his agents from participating in the voting process.
“Why I said withdraw then is that I’m withdrawing my agents from participating in the voting process,” he said.
“But we are appealing the process. We are definitely appealing.”
The actor-turned-politician also alleged intimidation and irregularities during the exercise.
According to him, many of his supporters were prevented from participating in the accreditation and voting process.
“When I entered, I discovered that virtually all my supporters were outside,” he said.
“The next thing I heard is that in 20 minutes they’re going to stop. How can you stop in 20 minutes?”
Elliott further questioned claims that some membership cards presented by his supporters were fake.
“The only way you can verify if a card is fake is when they go through the verification process,” he said.
“So why would you say they are fake?”
He also alleged that several persons were injured during the primary.
“Nobody was killed. But a lot of people were really maimed,” he said.
“There are videos of people going to the hospital.”
The lawmaker added that despite the outcome, he remains committed to serving his constituency.
“I’m here to serve the people,” he said.
“If you know you have done well for the people, why are you now worried? Why don’t you just go to the field?”
