Desmond Elliot's Fourth Term Bid Faces Resistance from Gbajabiamila in Surulere

The single sharpest fact in the ongoing Lagos State House of Assembly saga is that President Bola Tinubu has rebuffed appeals from powerful individuals to support Desmond Elliot's fourth term bid. You're probably wondering why this matters - it's because Elliot, a Nollywood actor, has been a member of the Assembly for 12 years and is now facing resistance from Femi Gbajabiamila, the Chief of Staff to the President. He's determined to stop Elliot's bid.

Desmond Elliot, who's determined to prove his popularity during the upcoming House of Assembly primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has seen his bid suffer a setback. Gbajabiamila has thrown his weight behind Barakat Odunuga-Bakare, the immediate past Lagos Special Adviser on Housing, to replace Elliot. This decision didn't go down well with Elliot, who claims that experience in the legislature translates to more benefits for constituents. He believes his experience will benefit his constituents.

And here's the thing

• Elliot has begged Gbajabiamila for forgiveness, saying that their leader is a compassionate leader and that he's sorry if he's erred in any way. However, Gbajabiamila's stance on the matter remains unchanged. In a recent constituency stakeholders' meeting, Gbajabiamila revealed that he nearly lost his position over the political crisis that rocked the Lagos State House of Assembly during the speakership tussle involving Mudashiru Obasa. He said he almost lost his job because of Desmond Elliot last year. You can go and verify this.

Gbajabiamila stated, "The President invited him to his residence in Abuja during the Obasa saga and confronted him over reports linking Elliot to the crisis." Gbajabiamila further disclosed that President Tinubu had summoned him during the height of the Assembly crisis and questioned him over allegations that Desmond Elliot was involved in moves to destabilize the House. The President reportedly insisted that Gbajabiamila should call Elliot to order. Gbajabiamila immediately defended Elliot, saying that he wasn't part of those allegedly working against the leadership of the Assembly.

But the story doesn't end there. Elliot has accused some APC leaders in Surulere of intimidation, political victimization, and attempts to manipulate the party's forthcoming primaries. He alleged that party members were being coerced and threatened to support a preferred aspirant ahead of the primaries. Elliot also claimed that some local government officials had been removed from their positions because of their support for him. He believes they're being punished for supporting him.

On the other hand, Barakat Odunuga-Bakare's chances have received a major boost as five other aspirants have withdrawn from the race and declared their support for her candidacy. The aspirants who withdrew from the race include Dipo Jaji Adeniyi Afolaolajuwon, Biyi Attoyebi, and Afeez Odunewu. They urged their supporters to vote en masse for Odunuga-Bakare's aspiration. They're now backing Odunuga-Bakare.

As the primaries approach, it's clear that the battle for the Surulere Constituency 1 seat is heating up. With Gbajabiamila's backing, Odunuga-Bakare seems to have an upper hand. Elliot is determined to prove his popularity. The question on everyone's mind is - what will happen next? Will Elliot's experience in the legislature be enough to secure him a fourth term? Or will Odunuga-Bakare's backing from Gbajabiamila give her the edge she needs to win? It's uncertain what the outcome will be.