Desmond Elliot apologises to Gbajabiamila, recalls political ties
May 15, 2026 1:48 pm
File: Desmond Elliot
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready…
Lagos lawmaker and Nollywood actor, Desmond Elliot has publicly apologised to his supposed political mentor and the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, saying he may have offended him in the course of his political engagements.
Elliot made the apology during an appearance on TVC’s Your View on Friday, where he said any misunderstanding was unintentional and insisted he remained committed to party unity and development in his constituency.
His apology comes amid previous political tensions linked to the Lagos State House of Assembly leadership crisis, during which Gbajabiamila had revealed that he nearly lost his position at the Presidency due to allegations tied to Elliot’s political activities.
Gbajabiamila had said President Bola Tinubu confronted him over intelligence reports suggesting Elliot’s involvement in moves around the Assembly speakership tussle, a claim he denied at the time.
Speaking on the programme, Elliot said he grew into politics under the guidance of a senior colleague he described as his “egbon”, adding that emotions and misunderstandings may have contributed to past friction.
“I’m not saying, oh, yes, media will come out, oh yes, Desmond begs again. Yes, because he’s my egbon. And I grew up learning everything I knew in politics through him,” he said.
He added that human error could not be ruled out in political relationships.
“To err is human, to forgive is divine. So I’m sorry, my daddy, if I’ve offended you in any way,” he said.
Elliot also extended his apology to who he described as the “matriarch of Surulere”, saying he regretted any offence caused.
“To the matriarch of Surulere, mama, I’m sorry if I’ve offended you,” he said.
Despite the apology, he maintained that he remains focused on strengthening the party and delivering on his mandate.
“But I will keep keeping the party strong. And to all Surulerians, my scorecard is there. You know the things I’ve done to make Surulere a better place,” he added.
The Lagos Assembly crisis, which involved leadership tensions within the All Progressives Congress, had triggered internal disputes before it was eventually resolved through high-level interventions.
Fawzi is a journalist and subeditor covering a wide range of beats including politics, metro, and international news, among others. He also optimises stories for digital audiences.
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.
Contact: [email protected]
Stay in the know—fast. Get instant alerts, breaking headlines, and exclusive stories with the Punch News App. Download now and never miss a beat.