The 2023 Lagos gubernatorial candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, has reiterated his loyalty to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) despite defections by some of its members.
In a statement dated May 4, Rhodes-Vivour noted that residents of Lagos and Nigerians at large 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 stated.
He acknowledged that the choices are hard and made in difficult times, saying that he does not judge anyone for the path they have chosen. “We are all fighting for a better Nigeria, even when our roads diverge. I want to make it clear that I am staying in the African Democratic Congress (ADC). It is the platform we have built, the ground we have fought on, and the vehicle that can take us to victory.”
The gubernatorial aspirant explained that it is not because it is the convenient choice or that the political winds are blowing in ADC’s favour, but because of what brought him to the party and the price paid over time.
While highlighting his political journey, Rhodes-Vivour disclosed that it did not begin in comfort. “From KOWA, where we built from nothing, to PDP, to Labour Party – every step I have taken has been guided by one thing: conviction. And 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, not in personal gain.”
He also revealed that he has never compromised with the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos, not even when it was convenient or 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.
The politician recalled that the day he declared for the ADC in Lagos, the APC came with violence. “They came to intimidate, suppress, and send a message about who owns Lagos. Nine people were injured that day. Nine people who came out in good faith because they believed that something different was possible for Lagos. We provided medical care for them and stayed with them through the ordeal. My own sister left that ground with eight stitches in her head,” he reflected.
Rhodes-Vivour described the people as his family, saying that this was the price that was paid simply for the act of declaring that “we are here, we are organised, and we are not afraid.” He affirmed that it was not the first time.
He continued: “Those of you who were with us in 2023 know what the APC did. You saw it. Some of you lived it. Tens of people, hundreds of people, injured by APC hoodlums during our Labour Party gubernatorial campaign and in the aftermath of the presidential election. People who did nothing wrong except stand for democracy by ensuring their votes counted. I did not sit back. I went to them. We took care of them. I saw the pain. I saw the sacrifice.
“In that period, I learned something that I will carry with me for as long as I am in this fight: 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 further recalled that since 2023, the opposition has been building and has remained intact and has not scattered. “Across all LGAs in Lagos, we have been doing the work. Ward by ward. Street by street. Community by community. We brought people together – PDP, Labour, ADC, even those who were once on the other side because we understood one simple truth: a divided opposition will always lose. But a united, organised, and determined force can win.”
Rhodes-Vivour emphasised that he has built relationships that took real trust to earn — structures that are deep, resilient, and ready. “We have built something that belongs not to any one individual, but to the people of Lagos who showed up, who registered their neighbours, who gave their Saturdays, who took real risks for the possibility of real change. We are now rooted and ready.”
He equally disclosed that his mission for Lagos is one where every child, regardless of where they were born, who their parents are, or what local government they come from, has a real and equal chance. “A Lagos where public schools work. Where the infrastructure of daily life is not a privilege for the few. Where the votes that people cast are the votes that determine who governs them without violence, manipulation or fear.”
He noted that the mission is not a fantasy but a choice, and that it requires people who are willing to stay and do the work, even when staying is hard.
“I have always stood on conviction. It has cost me things. It will continue to cost me things. But I have never regretted a decision made from principle, and I do not intend to start now. This is our moment. This is our stand. And we will not back down,” he added.
