RismadarVoice Reporters, May 23, 2026
Fresh political tensions surrounding Lagos lawmaker and Nollywood actor, Desmond Elliot are drawing attention beyond his Surulere constituency, with analysts suggesting the controversy is exposing deeper realities within President Bola Tinubu’s long-standing political structure in Lagos.
Elliot, who represents Surulere Constituency I in the Lagos State House of Assembly, has reportedly come under increasing pressure over his alleged fourth-term ambition and claims linking him to the political crisis that recently unsettled the Lagos Assembly.
Sources within political circles indicate that the situation escalated to the point where President Tinubu reportedly instructed his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, to intervene and caution Elliot, widely regarded as a political ally of the former Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Political observers say the development reflects a long-established strategy employed by Tinubu throughout his political career — maintaining influence through multiple channels of loyalty rather than concentrating power around a single individual or bloc.
For decades, Tinubu’s Lagos political structure has operated through a network of protégés, loyalists and competing factions, allowing him to maintain oversight while preventing any individual from becoming overwhelmingly influential.
Under that arrangement, political figures are encouraged to build their own support bases, but all structures ultimately remain tied to Tinubu as the central authority.
Insiders alleged that information regarding Elliot’s activities may have reached Tinubu through alternative political channels within the Lagos structure, particularly amid claims that Elliot was among those accused of contributing to tensions involving Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker Mudashiru Obasa.
Obasa has long remained a prominent and sometimes controversial figure within Lagos politics, surviving multiple political storms despite criticism from different quarters.
Political analysts argue that his continued relevance may be linked to his strategic importance within Tinubu’s balancing system, where rival centres of influence often serve as checks against one another.
According to observers, the political formula has historically depended on overlapping streams of loyalty, with competing camps frequently reporting on developments within the broader structure.
The approach, they argue, helped Tinubu maintain political dominance over Lagos for years by preventing excessive concentration of power.
Historical examples include the use of political groups such as the Justice Forum and the Mandate Group, which played influential roles in managing internal disagreements and strengthening Tinubu’s control during periods of political tension.
However, analysts suggest the latest Desmond Elliot episode may also indicate evolving realities within the political machinery.
While Tinubu remains widely regarded as the dominant political force in Lagos, there are growing suggestions that the structure he built has developed into a more complex network with independent interests and ambitions.
Political insiders point to recent local government elections and emerging conversations around the 2027 governorship succession as indicators that influential blocs within the ruling structure now possess considerable political weight of their own.
Observers note that many of Tinubu’s long-standing allies have themselves become power centres, creating new layers of influence and political calculations.
The situation, analysts say, reflects a gradual shift from a system once driven largely by a central authority to one increasingly shaped by multiple actors pursuing individual political interests while maintaining loyalty to the broader structure.
For some political watchers, Elliot’s challenges may therefore represent more than a constituency dispute or a battle over re-election.
Instead, they see it as a glimpse into a changing political environment in Lagos one where loyalty remains important, but where ambition and competing interests are becoming increasingly visible within the established order.
