Lagos, Nigeria — Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, has commended the conduct of the All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Assembly primary election in Surulere Constituency I, Lagos State, describing the exercise as peaceful, fair, and orderly amid controversy surrounding the contest.
Gbajabiamila made the remarks on Wednesday after casting his vote at Ward G2 (Adeniran Ogunsanya Ward 5) in Alaka Housing Estate, Surulere, where he expressed satisfaction with the turnout and overall conduct of party members.
“You know, this is my ward… and anytime I come to vote, 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,” he said.
He added that reports from other wards indicated similar levels of orderliness, noting that the exercise reflected strong internal democratic practice within the party.
“The turnout, considering that we are talking about primaries here, has been very impressive… The election has been free and transparent,” Gbajabiamila said.
However, the exercise was overshadowed by the withdrawal of incumbent lawmaker Hon. Desmond Elliott, who alleged intimidation of his supporters and restrictions on access to the polling venue.
Elliott announced his withdrawal at the Paddington Mini Stadium along Western Avenue, claiming that repeated appeals to electoral officials to allow his supporters into the venue were ignored.
“And of course, in all zones, they’ve been intimidating and stopping us. I want to officially announce my withdrawal from this particular race,” he said.
He further alleged that many of his supporters were denied access despite attempts to resolve the situation, prompting a peaceful walkout by his camp.
Following his exit, supporters staged a brief protest before dispersing from the venue.
Despite the tensions, the Chairman of the Leaders Forum in Ward G2, Mr. Ekundayo Decker, described the process as orderly and democratic, insisting there was no violence or disruption during voting.
“Well, this is a pure democratic process… There was no fight, no problem, nothing,” he said, urging aspirants to accept outcomes in good faith.
The Surulere Constituency I primary, one of the most closely watched contests in the Lagos APC, featured several aspirants, including Hon. Barakat Odunuga-Bakare, who enjoys backing from key party stakeholders.
The development follows weeks of political tension within the constituency as party stakeholders navigate a highly competitive primary season ahead of the 2027 elections.
