Lagos State House of Assembly member and Nollywood actor Desmond Elliot has publicly apologised to Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, over disagreements stemming from the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election for Surulere Constituency I.
In a video circulating widely on social media since Sunday, Elliot was seen kneeling and prostrating before Gbajabiamila during a meeting attended by party chieftains.
He pleaded for forgiveness and expressed a desire to reintegrate fully with the APC leadership in Lagos.
“I’m sorry. I have no excuse; I have nothing other than to say I’m deeply sorry. I’m deeply sorry, sir. And in our culture, we prostrate. Don’t be angry, Daddy,” Elliot said in the footage shared by Lagos Junction. He added that he hoped “to be cultured in the future” and used the Yoruba phrase “Ema binu baba” (please don’t be angry, father).
Gbajabiamila responded by asking him to rise, saying, “There is no… please, get up.”
The apology follows months of political tension after the May 2026 APC primary for the Surulere Constituency I seat in the Lagos State House of Assembly. Elliot, the incumbent seeking a fourth term, withdrew from the exercise, citing intimidation and political pressure against his supporters. He later rejected the outcome and indicated he would pursue an internal party appeal.
Barakat Odunuga-Bakare, a former Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Housing and widely reported to enjoy Gbajabiamila’s backing, emerged victorious with 11,385 votes. Elliot polled 270 votes. Odunuga-Bakare was subsequently declared the party’s candidate for the constituency ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a statement posted on Instagram after the meeting, Elliot reaffirmed his loyalty. “I, Hon. Desmond Olusola Elliott, wish to sincerely express my heartfelt appreciation to my political father, mentor, and leader, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, for his unwavering guidance, support, and investment in my political journey over the years,” he wrote. “I remain committed to the ideals of loyalty, service, and respect for party leadership—my respect and loyalty to Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila remains unwavering. Everything I have achieved politically is all for Surulerians.”
He added that no political ambition or temporary disagreement was worth damaging a relationship built on years of trust and shared commitment to the party and the people.
This is not the first time Elliot has apologised to Gbajabiamila. In May 2026, amid fallout linked to the earlier Lagos Assembly leadership crisis involving Speaker Mudashiru Obasa, Elliot publicly apologised on television, describing Gbajabiamila as his “egbon” (elder brother) and political mentor. “To err is human, to forgive is divine. So I’m sorry, my daddy, if I’ve offended you in any way,” he said at the time.
Elliot, who entered the Lagos State House of Assembly in 2015 representing Surulere Constituency I, has long been regarded as a protégé of Gbajabiamila. The latest gesture is widely seen as an effort to mend fences and restore his standing within the APC structure in Lagos.
The video and statements have drawn significant attention across Nigerian political and social media circles, highlighting the enduring influence of hierarchical relationships and mentorship in Lagos APC politics.
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