Lagos lawmaker and actor-turned-politician, Desmond Elliot, has withdrawn from the All Progressives Congress primary election for the Surulere 1 seat in the Lagos State House of Assembly, citing alleged intimidation and exclusion of his supporters from the voting venue.
Elliot announced his decision on Wednesday during the party’s primary election held at the Paddington Mini Stadium along Western Avenue in Lagos.
Addressing party members and supporters, the lawmaker alleged that several of his loyalists were prevented from gaining access to the venue despite repeated appeals to electoral officials handling the exercise.
According to him, attempts to resolve the situation proved unsuccessful, prompting his decision to step down from the contest.
“In all the zones, they’ve been intimidating and stopping us,” Elliot said while addressing the gathering. “I want to officially announce my withdrawal from this race. This is my ward, and the people outside are my supporters.”
He maintained that many of his supporters remained locked out of the venue throughout the exercise despite multiple interventions.
Following his announcement, supporters of the lawmaker staged a peaceful protest before leaving the venue with him.
Before departing, Elliot wished other contestants well and urged members of the party to remain peaceful.
The former actor explained that he chose to withdraw in order to prevent any possible breakdown of law and order, stressing that no political contest should lead to violence or loss of lives.
He also appealed to the APC leadership to ensure transparency and fairness in the conduct of its primaries across the state.
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