By Ibrahim Kegbegbe
Lagos State House of Assembly member and Nollywood actor, Desmond Elliot, has apologised to the Chief of Staff to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, in a fresh move to mend their political relationship following recent disagreements within the Lagos chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Elliot made the apology during a meeting with Gbajabiamila and other party chieftains, where he went on his knees and later prostrated before the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, pleading for forgiveness and reconciliation. Expressing remorse, Elliot said he had no excuse for his actions and was “deeply sorry,” while appealing to Gbajabiamila not to be angry with him. Gbajabiamila subsequently asked him to get up.
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The Merit Newspaper reports that the development comes against the backdrop of the controversy surrounding the APC primary election for Surulere Constituency I, in which Elliot had sought the party’s ticket to return to the Lagos State House of Assembly. He withdrew from the May 20 primary, alleging intimidation of his supporters and subsequently challenged aspects of the process. The ticket was eventually won by Barakat Odunuga-Bakare.
Elliot’s latest gesture is not the first time he has apologised to Gbajabiamila. In May 2026, the lawmaker publicly expressed regret during an appearance on TVC’s Your View, describing Gbajabiamila as his political mentor and “egbon” and saying that any offence he might have caused was not deliberate. He appealed for forgiveness, stressing the political influence Gbajabiamila had had on his career.
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The relationship between the two politicians had come under strain following the Lagos State House of Assembly crisis and subsequent political disagreements. Gbajabiamila had earlier disclosed that President Tinubu questioned him over Elliot’s alleged involvement in events surrounding the attempt to remove Mudashiru Obasa as Speaker of the Assembly, an allegation that became part of the political controversy.
Against this background, Elliot’s latest apology appears to mark a renewed effort to close the chapter on the disagreement and restore his relationship with Gbajabiamila and the APC leadership in Lagos. Reports indicate that he expressed willingness to renew his loyalty to the party leadership and work towards reconciliation and unity.
The reconciliation was further underscored by a photograph showing Elliot and Gbajabiamila together after the emotional appeal, suggesting that the two politicians had moved towards settling their differences. The development is likely to attract considerable political attention in Lagos, particularly as preparations intensify ahead of the 2027 elections.
