Surulere Stakeholders Warn Against Elliot’s Fourth-Term Bid, Urge Gbajabiamila to Respect Constituents’ Voice

A coalition of political stakeholders in Surulere has urged the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, to refrain from supporting a potential fourth-term bid by Desmond Elliot, the lawmaker representing Surulere Constituency I in the Lagos State House of Assembly.

In a statement issued on Friday, the group warned that backing such a move could alienate constituents and weaken the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the area ahead of the 2027 elections.

The statement, signed by Olanrewaju Badmus, spokesperson for the Surulere Accountability Front (SAF), said it reflected the sentiments of residents, community leaders and political actors across the constituency.

Mr Badmus described Mr Elliot’s more than a decade in office as “a missed opportunity”, criticising what he called a lack of visible impact and limited engagement with grassroots concerns.

He recalled that in 2015, the APC overlooked a long-standing party figure, Kabir Lawal, in favour of Mr Elliot, a Nollywood actor with little prior political involvement in the constituency at the time.

“Surulere has borne the consequences of that decision for 11 years,” Mr Badmus said. “The mandate was entrusted to someone who was not rooted in our political structure and who has struggled to meet the expectations of the people.”

He added that earlier support for Mr Elliot had been influenced by appeals from Mr Gbajabiamila, but insisted that constituents were no longer willing to endorse what he termed “another cycle of underperformance”.

The group cautioned that insisting on Mr Elliot’s candidacy could have electoral consequences for the APC, noting what it described as growing dissatisfaction across communities including Bank Olemoh, Olawale Dawodu, Iponri and Masha.

“There is a clear and unified message from residents: enough is enough,” Mr Badmus said, urging party leaders to allow a transparent and credible selection process for a new candidate.

While reaffirming their loyalty to the APC, the stakeholders stressed that such loyalty must be mutual. “If the party listens to the people, Surulere will stand firmly with it in 2027. If not, it must be prepared to face the outcome at the polls,” he added.

Echoing these concerns, a resident, Sheriffdeen Ojon, questioned Mr Elliot’s record in office, arguing that his continued political success had been largely tied to Mr Gbajabiamila’s influence.

“After more than a decade in the Assembly, it is reasonable to ask what tangible achievements can be directly attributed to him,” Mr Ojon said. “It may be time to allow fresh leadership that can offer more responsive and accessible representation.”

Mr Ojon, however, expressed admiration for Mr Gbajabiamila, describing him as a respected figure in the constituency, and appealed to him to act in line with the wishes of the people.

Despite the criticism, support for Mr Elliot remains visible among some residents. Earlier in the week, a group of APC members and constituents staged a rally in Surulere, marching through key streets including the Shitta Roundabout, calling on the party to adopt him as its consensus candidate for the 2027 elections.

The demonstration, led by resident Oludare Khalid-Willican, highlighted what supporters described as Mr Elliot’s contributions to the constituency, including empowerment initiatives and development projects.

The contrasting positions underscore a deepening divide within Surulere over the lawmaker’s political future, setting the stage for a potentially contentious selection process within the APC.