Former Labour Party governorship candidate in Lagos State, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, has reaffirmed his membership of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, amid ongoing realignments and defections within Nigeria’s opposition bloc.
In a statement on Tuesday addressed to Lagos residents and ADC supporters, Rhodes-Vivour acknowledged the current turbulence in opposition politics, noting that some members had chosen to join other platforms.
“We are living through a defining moment. Our politics is turbulent, the unity of the opposition is being tested, and for some, it has become necessary to forge different paths. To those who have made the difficult decision to move on to a new platform, I offer my genuine respect and best wishes,” he said.
He stressed, however, that his political loyalty remains with the ADC. “I want to make it clear that I am staying in the African Democratic Congress. It is the platform we have built, the ground we have fought on, and the vehicle that can take us to victory. It is not because it is the convenient choice, or that the political winds are blowing in our favour, but because of what brought me here and because of what was paid for me to be here,” he stated.
Rhodes-Vivour said his political journey from KOWA to PDP to Labour Party had been guided by conviction, not personal gain. “When those spaces could no longer serve the people honestly, I moved on out of principle. Every political decision I have ever made has been rooted in that principle,” he added.
He maintained that he has never compromised with the ruling All Progressives Congress in Lagos, saying he rejected offers that conflicted with his principles.
“Not when it was convenient. Not when agreements were put on the table. Not when billions were placed before me. I walked away then, and I would walk away again. That is who I am,” he said.
On sustaining opposition strength, Rhodes-Vivour argued that political survival requires organisation and grassroots readiness.
“If you want to protect the people’s mandate, you must have the strength to defend it from the polling unit to the collation centre. Because those who want to take what belongs to the people will not do so with arguments. They will do so with force. And you must be organised enough, rooted enough, and ready enough to meet that,” he noted.
He said efforts to strengthen opposition structures in Lagos have continued since the 2023 elections, with focus on ward-level mobilisation and political coordination across local government areas.
Rhodes-Vivour was the Labour Party’s governorship candidate in Lagos during the 2023 general elections, running a high-profile campaign that drew strong youth support before losing to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of the APC.
His reaffirmation comes as Nigeria’s opposition experiences increasing fragmentation, with key figures moving between Labour Party, PDP, and newer platforms such as the ADC and Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC.
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com