Barakat Odunuga-Bakare has emerged victorious in the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary for the Lagos State House of Assembly seat in Surulere Constituency, defeating actor-turned-politician Desmond Elliot. The primary, held on Tuesday, May 20, was part of the party's preparations for the 2027 general elections.
The official result sheet obtained from the exercise revealed that Odunuga-Bakare secured a total of 11,655 votes, while Elliot managed only 270 votes. This decisive victory was reflected across all polling units in the constituency, with Odunuga-Bakare dominating in key wards such as Akinhanmi/Cole and Adeniran Ogunsanya.
Ward-by-Ward Breakdown
The detailed results from the wards are as follows:
- Akinhanmi/Cole: Desmond Elliot - 82 votes; Barakat Odunuga-Bakare - 2,191 votes
- Yaba/Ojuelegba: Desmond Elliot - 0 votes; Barakat Odunuga-Bakare - 980 votes
- Gbaja/Stadium: Desmond Elliot - 0 votes; Barakat Odunuga-Bakare - 523 votes
- Adeniran/Ogunsanya: Desmond Elliot - 10 votes; Barakat Odunuga-Bakare - 1,986 votes
- Shitta/Ogunlana: Desmond Elliot - 169 votes; Barakat Odunuga-Bakare - 3,900 votes
- Iponri/Eric Moore: Desmond Elliot - 0 votes; Barakat Odunuga-Bakare - 1,805 votes
The total votes from the ward entries were 270 for Elliot and 11,385 for Odunuga-Bakare, and the final declaration confirmed Odunuga-Bakare as the winner with 11,385 votes.
Gbajabiamila Commends Peaceful Process
Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, who cast his vote in Ward G2 (Adeniran Ogunsanya), described the primary as peaceful, orderly, and transparent. Speaking to journalists after voting, he expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the exercise.
“Thank you very much… this is my ward, Ward G2, and I have been voting here for as long as I have been in politics,” Gbajabiamila said. He noted that the turnout was impressive for a party primary and that the election was “peaceful, orderly, free and transparent.” He added that feedback from other wards indicated a similar pattern across the constituency.
Context of the Primaries
The APC conducted primaries across Lagos State for aspirants seeking tickets for the 2027 general elections. The result sheet for the Surulere Constituency primary identified the election category as “House of Assembly Primary” and listed Barakat Odunuga-Bakare as the winner.
This outcome marks a significant shift in the political landscape of Surulere, as Odunuga-Bakare’s overwhelming victory underscores her strong grassroots support and appeal among party members.
