A member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Desmond Elliott, has raised alarm over alleged intimidation, coercion and political victimisation ahead of the forthcoming primaries of the All Progressives Congress in Surulere, Lagos.
In a viral video circulated on Sunday, Elliott accused unnamed party leaders and local government officials of allegedly threatening party members, backing a preferred aspirant and victimising his supporters in the buildup to the primaries.
The lawmaker, who currently represents Surulere Constituency at the Lagos Assembly, claimed that some local government officials were allegedly removed from their positions because of their support for him.
According to him, the political atmosphere within the Surulere chapter of the APC had become tense due to what he described as intimidation and attempts to force party members to support certain candidates.
“Intimidation, coercion, twisting and forcing people to follow their own candidate is what is existing today in Surulere,” Elliott said in the video.
“Telling them that they will not be beneficiaries of some empowerment that is coming some other time. Please, this is not done and should not be done.”
He alleged that the local government leadership had openly taken sides long before the primaries and expressed disappointment over what he described as unfair practices within the party structure. “It is bad enough that the LGA and the local government already took a side months ago. The local government already took a side to support a particular aspirant,” he stated.
Elliott further claimed that several individuals associated with him had allegedly suffered repercussions because of their political alignment. “We’ve been intimidated so much so that a lot of people from the local government have been fired because they follow me,” he alleged.
The actor-turned-politician also disclosed that his security personnel had allegedly been withdrawn under unclear circumstances. “More so, my security personnel was taken away from me yesterday for reasons best known to them. Now I am left alone to myself. What have I done?” he queried.
He also alleged that there were plans by some persons to instigate violence during the primaries by bringing in outsiders to disrupt the exercise.
“They are coming out to fight us. They want to bring people from outside and from within to cause mayhem and trouble,” Elliott said, while appealing for peaceful conduct during the exercise scheduled for May 20, 2026.
The lawmaker urged party leaders and stakeholders to investigate the allegations and ensure that the primaries were conducted in a transparent and peaceful manner. “I want to ask our party chieftains, please investigate this matter,” he appealed.
Despite the grievances, Elliott maintained that he remained committed to the APC and would support whoever emerges victorious, provided the process is free and fair. “By the grace of God, if I, Desmond Olusola Elliott, win, Alhamdulillah. If I lose, I will throw my support behind the winner. But please let it be under a free and fair election,” he said.
The lawmaker also called on his supporters not to be intimidated, insisting that adequate security would be provided during the primaries.
He used the opportunity to campaign for other APC candidates, including Wasiu Eshilokun, Kadri Obafemi Hamzat and Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Elliott’s remarks are expected to heighten concerns over internal tensions within the APC in Surulere, particularly amid growing allegations of candidate imposition and factional rivalry ahead of the party primaries.
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