Lagos State House of Assembly member Desmond Elliot has publicly apologized to Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, following a bitter fallout over the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary elections in Lagos.
In a video circulating widely on social media, Elliot is seen on his knees, pleading with Gbajabiamila for forgiveness and seeking reintegration into the ruling party.
“I’m sorry; I have no excuse. I have nothing other than to say I’m deeply sorry, and I am hoping to be cultured in the future,” Elliot stated in the emotional appeal.
The dramatic display follows a contentious disagreement between Elliot and the party leadership after the APC primary for the Surulere Constituency I seat in May. At the time, Elliot withdrew from the exercise, alleging severe intimidation and political pressure against his supporters. He subsequently rejected the primary’s outcome, vowing to challenge the process through the party’s internal appeal mechanism.
Ultimately, Elliot’s rebellion fell short. He lost the APC ticket to Barakat Odunuga-Bakare, a candidate widely believed to enjoy the strong backing of Gbajabiamila. The election results were decisive: Odunuga-Bakare polled 11,385 votes, dwarfing Elliot’s 270 votes.
The striking visual of a seasoned politician and former actor prostrating in a bid for political rehabilitation underscores the unforgiving nature of party politics in Nigeria. For Elliot, the path back to the APC fold now hinges on the grace of the very leadership he once defied. As the 2027 election cycle looms, this public submission serves as a potent reminder that in the high-stakes game of political survival, loyalty is the ultimate currency, and defiance rarely goes unpunished.
Promise Idoko is Junior Reporter working with moderncrux He covers global politics and international affairs. Based in Nigeria,
