Actor-turned-politician Desmond Elliot has defended his record in public office, insisting that his political career has been driven by service rather than personal gain.
Speaking during an interview on Morayo Brown’s programme, the Lagos lawmaker reflected on leadership, governance and his years in politics, while urging elected officials to remember that power is temporary.
“We will all die one day. We are not here forever,” Elliot said.
“This I am saying to all of us politicians, we are not here forever. You were in that particular place for a reason, not because you are better than the next person. Trust me, there are way better people than you.”
The lawmaker, who represents Surulere Constituency I in the Lagos State House of Assembly, identified improvements in electricity supply as one of the achievements he is most proud of during his time in office.
“Power is my greatest achievement as a lawmaker in Surulere Constituency I,” he said.
“My own kind of politician, I don’t steal money. If you look at Surulere 10 years ago, it was a horrible place to live in.
“Today, there is electricity, healthcare and all. If you look at Surulere 10 years ago, it was a horrible place to live in. Today, electricity is one of the best you can find anywhere else.”
Elliot also advocated for a governance structure that reflects Nigeria’s unique realities, arguing that the country should not simply replicate democratic models from other nations.
“We have to define our own style of democracy,” he said.
“Let’s have a 30-year plan, for instance, and say for the next five years, let the west rule, the next five years let the north rule, the next five years let the central rule.
“Yet we are already following through a particular plan that leads us to 30 years. I’m just giving an idea.”
On national politics, Elliot said he has yet to see anyone capable of displacing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the country’s leading political figure.
“I’m thinking, okay, who is the next saviour that can remove Asiwaju from what he is doing? Presently, I cannot see yet,” he said.
Elliot entered politics in 2014 under the banner of the All Progressives Congress and won election to represent Surulere Constituency I in 2015. He has since secured re-election and remains one of the most prominent entertainers to transition into Nigerian politics.
Erizia Rubyjeana
