Actor-turned-politician Desmond Elliot has said his political career has been guided by service rather than personal enrichment, describing himself as a different kind of lawmaker in a political environment often associated with corruption and self-interest.
Elliot, who represents Surulere Constituency I in the Lagos State House of Assembly, made the remarks during an interview on Morayo Brown’s programme, where he reflected on leadership, governance, and his decade in politics. The 52-year-old has represented the constituency since winning the seat under the All Progressives Congress in 2015 and has been re-elected in subsequent elections.
“My own kind of politician, I don’t steal money,” he said, pointing to improvements in electricity supply as his proudest achievement in office. He contrasted the current state of the constituency with what it looked like a decade ago. “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.” He also cited improvements in healthcare and general infrastructure as part of the constituency’s transformation over the period.
Beyond his personal record, Elliot used the interview to reflect on the broader responsibilities of public office, urging fellow politicians to remain mindful of the temporary nature of power. “We will all die one day. 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,” he said.
The lawmaker also called for Nigeria to develop a political system tailored to its own realities rather than relying on models borrowed from other countries. He proposed a structured rotational arrangement among the country’s geopolitical zones as one possible approach. “We have to define our own style of democracy. 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,” he said, describing it as an idea rather than a firm proposal.
On the question of political succession, Elliot said he had not yet identified anyone capable of replacing President Bola Tinubu. “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 when he declared his intention to contest for a Lagos Assembly seat, going on to win the following year.
