Lagos State lawmaker Desmond Elliot has apologised to Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, following a dispute over the All Progressives Congress primary election in Lagos.
Elliot was seen kneeling before Gbajabiamila in a video circulating on social media.
The lawmaker asked for forgiveness and appealed to be welcomed back into the APC political structure in Lagos.
Elliot apologises
Speaking during the meeting, Elliot admitted that he had no excuse for his actions.
“I’m sorry, I have no excuse. I have nothing other than to say I’m deeply sorry,” he said.
He also promised to conduct himself better in the future.
The apology comes months after tensions emerged within the APC over the party’s primary election for the Surulere Constituency I seat.
Dispute over APC primary
Elliot had participated in the process before withdrawing from the primary.
He alleged that his supporters faced intimidation and political pressure during the exercise.
Following his withdrawal, he rejected the outcome and indicated that he would challenge the process through the party’s internal appeal mechanism.
The dispute created tension within the party’s structure in Lagos.
Odunuga-Bakare wins ticket
Barakat Odunuga-Bakare eventually emerged as the APC candidate for the constituency.
She was widely reported to have enjoyed the support of Gbajabiamila.
Odunuga-Bakare recorded 11,385 votes in the primary.
Elliot, meanwhile, received 270 votes.
The wide difference in the results followed the earlier disagreement over the conduct of the primary.
Seeking reconciliation
Elliot’s latest move appears aimed at ending the disagreement and rebuilding his relationship with the APC leadership in Lagos.
By publicly apologising, the lawmaker has signalled his willingness to move past the dispute.
His appeal also comes as political activities begin to gather momentum ahead of future elections.
The development is expected to attract attention within the APC, particularly among party members in Surulere and Lagos.
