Lagos lawmaker Desmond Elliot has publicly apologized to his 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 apologized during an interview on TVC’s Your View on Friday, stating that any misunderstanding was accidental and emphasizing his continued commitment to party unity and progress in his constituency.
His apology came amid earlier political tensions related to the Lagos State House of Assembly leadership conflict, during which Gbajabiamila disclosed that he almost lost his position in the presidency due to allegations about Elliot’s political activity.
Gbajabiamila claimed President Bola Tinubu addressed him with intelligence information indicating Elliot’s involvement in movements surrounding the Assembly speakership tussle, which he rejected at the time.
Speaking on the show, Elliot claimed he got into politics under the tutelage of a senior colleague he referred to as his “egbon” and that emotions and misconceptions may have contributed to past conflict.
“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 also stated that human error cannot be eliminated in political connections.
“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 apologized to who he described as the “matriarch of Surulere,” saying he regretted any offense caused.
“To the matriarch of Surulere, Mama, I’m sorry if I’ve offended you,” he said.
Despite the apologies, he stated that he remains committed to building the party and carrying out 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 issue, which entailed leadership tensions within the All Progressives Congress, sparked internal conflict until being settled through high-level intervention.
