By Paul Joseph
Lagos State House of Assembly member, Desmond Elliot, has renewed efforts to reconcile with President Bola Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, after a political disagreement that affected his bid for another term in the Assembly.
Elliot was recently seen in a video circulating on social media kneeling before Gbajabiamila while pleading for forgiveness and appealing for an opportunity to return fully into the political structure of the All Progressives Congress (APC) 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 latest reconciliation attempt comes months after a disagreement between the two politicians linked to the APC primary election for Surulere Constituency I.
Elliot, who had represented the constituency in the Lagos State House of Assembly since 2015, sought the party’s ticket for another term but eventually lost to Barakat Odunuga-Bakare.
The development followed an already strained relationship between Elliot and Gbajabiamila, who Elliot has consistently described as his political leader and mentor.
The disagreement was also linked to the political crisis that rocked the Lagos State House of Assembly in January 2025 over the removal of Mudashiru Obasa as Speaker.
Elliot had previously explained that he signed the impeachment document after returning from South Africa and discovering that several lawmakers had already appended their signatures.
According to him, some lawmakers initially believed the move had the backing of the Presidency before President Tinubu clarified that he had not authorised Obasa’s removal.
Gbajabiamila subsequently expressed displeasure over Elliot’s perceived role in the episode.
Despite the disagreement, Elliot later publicly apologised to Gbajabiamila during a television appearance in May, appealing to his political mentor to forgive him for any action or statement that may have caused offence.
The political crisis intensified during the Surulere APC primary, where Elliot accused some party leaders and local government officials of intimidation and coercion in favour of his opponent.
He also complained about the withdrawal of his security personnel shortly before the exercise.
Elliot eventually announced his withdrawal from the primary, citing pressure and intimidation.
However, the election proceeded, with Odunuga-Bakare emerging as the winner with 11,385 votes, while Elliot secured 270 votes.
Elliot rejected the outcome and said his camp would challenge the process through the party’s appeal mechanism.
Despite losing the ticket, the actor-turned-politician has remained active in public life.
His recent appearance on a movie set alongside actor Ibrahim Chatta has also generated speculation about a possible return to Nollywood, although Elliot has not announced any permanent return to the entertainment industry.
His latest appeal to Gbajabiamila now signals another attempt to mend their political relationship and regain a place within the APC structure in Lagos.
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