The Chief of Staff to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, on Wednesday described the All Progressives Congress, APC, House of Assembly primary election in Surulere Constituency I of Lagos State as peaceful, fair and orderly.
Gbajabiamila made the remark shortly after participating in the exercise at Ward G2, Adeniran Ogunsanya Ward 5, located at Alaka Housing Estate in Surulere.
The former Speaker of the House of Representatives expressed satisfaction with the conduct of party members and electoral officials during the exercise, saying the process reflected democratic values within the party.
However, the primary election was overshadowed by the withdrawal of the incumbent lawmaker representing Surulere I Constituency in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Desmond Elliot, who accused some party members of intimidating his supporters and preventing them from gaining access to the venue.
Speaking with journalists after casting his vote, Gbajabiamila said he was impressed by the peaceful atmosphere surrounding the election.
“You know, this is my ward, Ward G2, and I have been voting here in Ward G2 for as long as I have been in politics,” he said.
“And anytime I come to vote, whatever office or election it is, my reaction is always the same. When I see peaceful, fair, credible, orderly elections, I am always very happy.
“And that is exactly what I have seen today.”
Gbajabiamila also commended the turnout of party members, noting that participation was high despite the exercise being a party primary and not a general election.
“The turnout, considering that we are talking about primaries here, has been very impressive. People have been peaceful and orderly.
“The election has been free and transparent, and I am happy to see that. So, I congratulate the people of Ward G2,” he added.
The presidential aide further stated that reports reaching him from other parts of the constituency also suggested that the process was peaceful.
“From what I am hearing, the feedback I am getting, it is the same across the board,” he said.
While Gbajabiamila praised the process, the exercise took a dramatic turn after Desmond Elliot announced his withdrawal from the contest at the Paddington Mini Stadium on Western Avenue, where the primary election was being conducted.
Elliot, a Nollywood actor turned politician, said he decided to pull out after repeated complaints about the alleged intimidation of his supporters were ignored by officials supervising the election.
“And of course, in all zones, they’ve been intimidating and stopping us. I want to officially announce my withdrawal from this particular race,” Elliot said.
“This is my ward. If you go outside, those are my people outside. They’ve not been allowed,” he added.
The lawmaker claimed many of his supporters were denied entry into the voting venue despite appeals to electoral officials handling the primary.
Shortly after his announcement, supporters of the lawmaker staged a peaceful protest and later walked out of the venue with him.
The incident highlighted growing tension within the APC in Surulere ahead of the next election cycle.
Elliot, who currently represents Surulere I in the Lagos State House of Assembly, has held the seat since 2015 and was seeking a fourth term in office.
Before joining politics, he was widely known in Nigeria’s entertainment industry as a successful actor, producer and director in Nollywood.
Over the years, he became one of the most visible entertainers in Nigerian politics, although his political career has also generated public debate and criticism at different times.
In the current APC primary race, Elliot was contesting against Barakat Odunuga-Bakare, a female aspirant believed to enjoy the backing of key party figures, including Gbajabiamila.
The latest development follows weeks of reported friction between Gbajabiamila and Elliot over political control and representation in the constituency.
Although details of the disagreement were not officially made public, party insiders have spoken of growing tension between supporters of both camps ahead of the primary election.
Despite Elliot’s withdrawal and allegations, some party leaders insisted the process remained credible.
The Chairman of the Leaders Forum in Ward G2, Ekundayo Decker, described the exercise as evidence of healthy internal democracy within the APC.
According to him, the orderly conduct of the election showed that the party was committed to transparent primaries.
Internal disputes during party primaries have become common in Nigeria’s political system, especially in states where competition for tickets is intense.
Lagos, being Nigeria’s commercial centre and a stronghold of the APC, often witnesses fierce political battles during party primaries because winning the APC ticket is widely seen as a major advantage ahead of the general election.
In recent years, disagreements over delegate lists, access to venues and allegations of intimidation have frequently surfaced during primary elections across different parties.
The development has also generated reactions on social media, with some Nigerians sympathising with Elliot while others praised the peaceful conduct of the exercise as described by Gbajabiamila.
Attention is now expected to shift to the final outcome of the primary and how the party leadership will manage tensions within the constituency moving forward.