Efforts by Lagos State lawmaker Desmond Elliot to secure a fourth term in the State House of Assembly have encountered resistance, as President Bola Tinubu is said to have rejected multiple appeals made on his behalf.

According to sources within the Presidency, several influential figures approached the President at different times, urging him to support Elliot’s bid. However, Tinubu reportedly maintained a consistent stance, refusing to override the decision of All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders in Surulere.

Party leaders in the area had earlier endorsed Barakat Odunuga-Bakare, the immediate past Special Adviser on Housing in Lagos, as Elliot’s preferred successor—a move said to align with efforts to promote gender inclusion within the party.

Sources further revealed that Elliot allegedly reached out to key individuals, including a retired General, his wife who is a Senator, a serving Minister, and another close ally of the President, to present his case at the Presidential Villa. None of these interventions reportedly secured Tinubu’s backing.

In each instance, the President was said to have emphasized the importance of respecting internal party democracy, making it clear that his position would not change.

Tinubu reportedly told his visitors that the choice made by the majority of Surulere APC stakeholders should stand. He also expressed confidence in his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, whom he described as a central figure in Surulere’s political structure and long-standing development.

The President further noted that the outcome of the party’s direct primary election would ultimately determine who holds influence within the Surulere APC, rather than external pressure.

In one of the meetings, Tinubu reportedly reflected on Elliot’s political journey, stating that he only became aware of the actor-turned-politician about 12 years ago, following a request by former President Olusegun Obasanjo to help facilitate his entry into the Lagos Assembly race in 2015.

He added that Gbajabiamila had consistently advocated for Elliot’s acceptance by the people of Surulere throughout his three terms in office.

Sources quoted the President as suggesting that the current opposition to Elliot’s bid from those who once supported him raises questions about his performance and relationship with the constituency.

Tinubu was also said to have warned against ignoring grassroots sentiment, referencing the political tensions between Rivers State figures Siminalayi Fubara and Nyesom Wike as an example of the risks involved in sidelining key supporters.

He reportedly reiterated that he would not support any approach that undermines democratic processes within the party, maintaining that if Elliot believes he can win, he should contest in the primaries.

Despite these setbacks, sources indicated that Elliot may still attempt to seek the President’s intervention again through close allies, including a female Senator, while Tinubu is currently in France. The move is said to be aimed at reversing the growing support for Odunuga-Bakare ahead of the Surulere 1 State Assembly primary scheduled for May 20, 2026.

Meanwhile, the Surulere Accountability Front (SAF) has reaffirmed its opposition to Elliot’s fourth-term ambition.

The group’s Chairman, Olanrewaju Badmus, described Elliot’s 12-year tenure as marked by poor representation and political instability, adding that many young people in the constituency no longer see him as a credible leader.

“Most of the Surulere youths are tired of him and don’t see him as a role model. Power is transient, and only God gives power to whom He desires. The demand for change in Surulere 1 is the voice of a people who have waited long enough,” he said.