The political atmosphere in Surulere Constituency I has been tense in recent days over the contest for the APC ticket between Barakat Odunuga-Bakare and 4-term lawmaker Desmond Elliot.
According to _Within Nigeria_, Barakat Odunuga-Bakare stepped down for Elliot after intervention from Femi Gbajabiamila and other party stakeholders. The move paved the way for Elliot to emerge as the consensus candidate for Surulere Constituency I under the APC.
Complicating matters is the reportedly strained relationship between Desmond Elliot and his political godfather, Femi Gbajabiamila. Gbajabiamila, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, now serves as Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu.
Desmond Elliot and Femi Gbajabiamila rosy relationship?
Checks by WITHIN NIGERIA shows that Femi Gbajabiamila and Desmond Elliot share a mentor-protégé relationship rooted in Lagos APC politics.
According to the findings, Gbajabiamila—former Speaker of the House of Representatives and current Chief of Staff to President Tinubu—brought Elliot into politics in 2015.
Sources credit him as the key force behind Elliot’s transition from Nollywood to the legislature, guiding his rise to three consecutive terms in the Lagos State House of Assembly.
Gbajabiamila backed Elliot’s 2015 bid for the Surulere Constituency I seat, launching his legislative career. Since then, Elliot has held the seat for three terms.
In 2023, he faced a serious challenge at the APC primaries from Barakat Odunuga-Bakare, a contest that nearly ended his time in the Assembly. He was ultimately retained with Gbajabiamila’s intervention.
Revelation?
On Thursday, May 14, 2026, at the APC Stakeholders’ Meeting in Surulere, Femi Gbajabiamila publicly addressed his strained political relationship with Desmond Elliot – an account that took many by surprise.
Gbajabiamila disclosed that he nearly lost his position as Chief of Staff to President Tinubu because of his protégé. According to him, Tinubu summoned him over intelligence reports linking Elliot to the plot to impeach Speaker Mudashiru Obasa during the Lagos Assembly crisis in January 2025.
Gbajabiamila said he told the President that Elliot was not involved. Tinubu’s response, he recounted, was to “call him to order.” Gbajabiamila stated that he warned Elliot to stay out of the matter and asked him to publicly deny any involvement, but Elliot did not comply.
Desmond Elliot’s Reaction
Desmond Elliot, the lawmaker representing Surulere Constituency I in the Lagos State House of Assembly, responded to the claims by stating he was in South Africa for his sister-in-law’s wedding when Mudashiru Obasa was impeached.
Elliot said he signed the impeachment notice because he believed it had presidential backing. He denied that Gbajabiamila ever asked him to issue a public denial and maintained that there was no personal rift between them, describing their relationship as intact.
He added that while he consulted Gbajabiamila during the crisis, he was never instructed to make a public statement.
Political drama?
Unlike in 2015, 2019, and 2023, Femi Gbajabiamila is now backing Barakat Odunuga-Bakare, the former Special Adviser on Housing, over his embattled political protégé, Desmond Elliot.
Political analysts attribute the shift to a fallout between Gbajabiamila and Elliot.
Groups such as the Surulere Accountability Front have also weighed in, describing Elliot’s 11 years in office as “a wasted opportunity” marked by poor grassroots engagement. They claim he was imposed on the party in 2015 ahead of loyalist Kabir Lawal, and argue he should not be imposed again.
Despite Gbajabiamila’s open support for Odunuga-Bakare, Elliot has picked his nomination form for 2027. He also issued a public apology to his political godfather, calling Gbajabiamila his mentor and asking for forgiveness if he had erred.
The Face-off?
The APC primaries for Surulere Constituency I were held on May 20, 2026, and Barakat Odunuga-Bakare has been declared winner and the party’s flagbearer.
Odunuga-Bakare secured 11,385 votes, winning across all six wards in Surulere. Desmond Elliot polled 270 votes. The LGA returning officer, Yussuf Kelani, announced her total as 11,625 votes.
Elliot rejected the outcome, accusing some APC leaders in Surulere of intimidation and manipulating the primaries to favor a preferred aspirant.
TWISTS
Desmond Elliot, who has represented Surulere I since 2015, withdrew from the race mid-voting, alleging intimidation and denial of access for his supporters.
The election continued despite his withdrawal, and results were announced as scheduled.
Femi Gbajabiamila described the process as peaceful and credible. Elliot’s camp contested the outcome, alleging irregularities and stating they would appeal.
