“Tinubu Declines Pressure to Back Desmond Elliot’s 4th Term Ambition — Sources”

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reportedly resisted multiple attempts to secure his support for Desmond Elliot’s bid for a fourth term in the Lagos State House of Assembly, insisting on party democracy and local consensus.

Presidency sources said several influential figures approached the President at different times to lobby on Elliot’s behalf, but their efforts were unsuccessful.

The appeals were said to be aimed at overturning the position of Surulere APC stakeholders, who have endorsed Barakat Odunuga-Bakare as Elliot’s successor, in line with a broader push for gender inclusion.

According to sources, Elliot allegedly enlisted a retired general, his spouse, a senator, a serving minister, and a presidential ally to “make his case at the Villa,” but none were able to secure Tinubu’s approval.

At each meeting, the President reportedly maintained a consistent stance, declining to interfere with the decision of local party leaders and reaffirming his commitment to internal democracy.

Tinubu was said to have emphasised that the outcome of the direct primary election would determine “who commands popular control of Surulere APC politics, not external influence.”

He also referenced his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, describing him as a key political figure in Surulere and declining to act against his influence.

In one of the discussions, Tinubu reportedly recalled that Olusegun Obasanjo had once urged him to help accommodate Elliot in the 2015 Lagos Assembly race, adding that Gbajabiamila later rallied support for him during his three terms.

“If the people who carried Desmond for twelve years can no longer defend him, that says everything about the boy’s character and performance,” the President was quoted as saying.

He further warned against ignoring grassroots sentiment, drawing parallels with recent political tensions such as the Fubara-Wike crisis, and stressing the risks of defying public opinion.

Sources said Tinubu made it clear he would not support “undemocratic tendencies” or impose candidates on the electorate, leaving Elliot to test his popularity at the primaries.

Despite the repeated refusals, Elliot is reportedly still pursuing last-minute interventions through close allies, including a female senator, ahead of the Surulere 1 primary scheduled for May 20, 2026.

Meanwhile, the Surulere Accountability Front (SAF) reiterated opposition to Elliot’s fourth-term bid, describing his 12-year tenure as unsatisfactory.

SAF Chairman, Olanrewaju Badmus, said: “Most of the Surulere youths are tired of him… The call for change… is the verdict of a constituency that has been patient long enough.”

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