A member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Desmond Elliott, has alleged political intimidation and the withdrawal of his security aides ahead of the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries for the Surulere I constituency.
In a viral video circulating on Sunday, the lawmaker accused unnamed party leaders and local government officials of allegedly coercing APC members to support a preferred aspirant ahead of the House of Assembly primaries scheduled for May 20.
Elliott, who currently represents Surulere Constituency I in the Lagos State House of Assembly, claimed that some local government officials were removed from office because of their support for him.
According to him, the political atmosphere within the Surulere chapter of the APC has become tense due to alleged intimidation and attempts to force party members to back certain candidates.
“Intimidation, coercion, twisting and forcing people to follow their own candidate is what is existing today in Surulere,” he said in the video.
“Telling them that they will not be beneficiaries of some empowerment that is coming some other time. Please, this is not done and should not be done.”
The actor-turned-politician further alleged that local government leadership openly endorsed another aspirant months before the primaries.
“It is bad enough that the LGA and the local government already took a side months ago. The local government already took a side to support a particular aspirant,” he stated.
Elliott also claimed that several individuals associated with him had suffered repercussions over their political alignment.
“We’ve been intimidated so much so that a lot of people from the local government have been fired because they follow me,” he alleged.
He further alleged that his security aides were withdrawn without explanation.
“My security personnel were taken away from me yesterday for reasons best known to them. Now I am left alone to myself. What have I done?” he queried.
The lawmaker also raised concerns about possible violence during the primaries, alleging that some individuals planned to mobilise outsiders to disrupt the process.
Elliott appealed to party leaders to intervene and ensure that the primaries are peaceful, transparent and credible.
“I want to ask our party chieftains, please investigate this matter,” he said.
Despite the allegations, he maintained that he would accept the outcome of the primaries if the process is free and fair.
He also urged his supporters not to be intimidated, assuring them that adequate security would be available during the exercise.
The controversy comes days after Elliott publicly apologised to Femi Gbajabiamila over his alleged involvement in moves to impeach Lagos Assembly Speaker Mudashiru Obasa.
