Former aide to Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Barakat Odunuga-Bakare, has emerged as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress for the Surulere Constituency I seat in the Lagos State House of Assembly.
Odunuga-Bakare secured victory in the party’s primary election held across the six wards in Surulere, polling a total of 11,625 votes to clinch the ticket ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The primary election also featured incumbent lawmaker Desmond Elliot, who later withdrew from the contest over alleged intimidation and denial of access to some of his supporters.
Announcing the result on Wednesday, the Local Government Returning Officer, Yussuf Kelani, declared Odunuga-Bakare winner of the exercise after she reportedly won across all six wards by wide margins.
Reacting to her victory in a post shared on X, the APC candidate expressed appreciation to residents and party supporters for their overwhelming support during the primary election.
According to her, many supporters sacrificed their time and daily activities to participate in the exercise, a gesture she described as deeply encouraging and humbling.
“I am truly overwhelmed and grateful for the support shown to me today,” she stated, thanking party leaders, youths, women groups, artisans and supporters across the constituency.
Odunuga-Bakare also pledged not to disappoint the people who placed their trust in her, assuring residents that she would work hard to justify the confidence reposed in her.
She further urged party supporters to remain united ahead of the general elections and mobilise support for the APC’s broader political agenda, including the candidacies of Obafemi Hamzat and Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Her emergence marks a significant political development in Surulere following Elliot’s dramatic withdrawal from the race earlier in the day.
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