Gbajabiamila Commends Peaceful APC Primaries in Surulere
Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President, has broken his silence on the All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Assembly primary election in Surulere Constituency I, praising the process as peaceful, transparent, and orderly. He made the remarks after casting his vote at Ward G2, Adeniran Ogunsanya Ward 5, located within the Alaka Housing Estate area of Surulere, Lagos.
Gbajabiamila Expresses Satisfaction
The former Speaker of the House of Representatives expressed his satisfaction with the conduct of party members and the overall atmosphere of the exercise. He stated, “You know, this is my ward, Ward G2, and I have been voting here in Ward G2 for as long as I have been in politics. And anytime I come to vote, whatever office or election it is, my reaction is always the same. When I see peaceful, fair, credible, orderly elections, I am always very happy. And that is exactly what I have seen today.”
High Voter Turnout Noted
Gbajabiamila also highlighted the impressive turnout of party faithful, noting that participation was remarkably high for an internal party primary. “The turnout, considering that we are talking about primaries here, has been very impressive. People have been peaceful and orderly. The election has been free and transparent, and I am happy to see that. So, I congratulate the people of Ward G2,” he added. He further disclosed that feedback from other wards indicated the process remained peaceful across the constituency.
Party Leaders Praise Internal Democracy
Ekundayo Decker, Chairman of the Leaders Forum in Ward G2, also commended the exercise, describing it as evidence of strong internal democracy within the APC. “Well, this is a pure democratic process. We have seen that the numbers are more and the voting went fine. There was no fight, there was nothing, no problem, nothing,” he said. Decker appealed to aspirants and their supporters to accept the election outcome in good faith, stating, “It is a game of sports. Any side that wins, good. The other side should please embrace the winner.”
Surulere Primary Draws Major Attention
The Surulere Constituency I primary attracted significant political attention due to the contest between incumbent lawmaker Desmond Elliot and Gbajabiamila-backed aspirant Barakat Odunuga-Bakare. Odunuga-Bakare was seeking the APC ticket against Elliot, who was aiming for a fourth term in the Lagos State House of Assembly.
In related news, Legit.ng previously reported that Lagos State Speaker Honourable Mojisola Meranda presided over the house as lawmakers gathered to bid her farewell. Desmond Elliot became emotional and was unable to hold back his tears when given the floor to speak. The video of his emotional display went viral on social media, drawing various reactions from netizens.
