“I’m deeply sorry” — Desmond Elliot kneels, apologises to Gbajabiamila

Lagos State lawmaker Desmond Elliot has apologised to President Bola Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, months after a disagreement over the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election in Surulere.

Elliot was captured in a video circulating on social media kneeling before Gbajabiamila while asking for forgiveness and seeking to mend his relationship with the APC leadership in Lagos.

“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 said.

The development comes after the APC primary conducted to select its candidate for the Surulere Constituency I seat in the Lagos State House of Assembly.

Elliot had participated in the political process but later withdrew from the exercise, alleging intimidation and political pressure against his supporters.

He subsequently rejected the result and indicated that he would challenge the conduct of the primary through the party’s internal appeal process.

The contest was eventually won by Barakat Odunuga-Bakare, who emerged as the APC candidate for the constituency.

Odunuga-Bakare secured 11,385 votes, while Elliot polled 270 votes.

Her emergence was linked to the support of Gbajabiamila, who remains a major political figure in Surulere and Lagos.

The result reportedly widened the disagreement between Elliot and elements of the party leadership in the state.

Elliot’s latest gesture, however, appears to mark an effort to put the dispute behind him as he seeks reconciliation and reintegration into the ruling party’s political structure in Lagos.

The lawmaker’s decision to publicly apologise also comes against the backdrop of the importance of party unity ahead of future political contests in the state.