The governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Lagos State, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, has explained how he intends to contest the 2027 governorship election without the political influence of former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi and the Obidient movement.

Rhodes-Vivour and Obi contested the 2023 elections on the platform of the Labour Party, with the Obidient movement playing a significant role in the party’s impressive performance in both the presidential and Lagos governorship elections.

The duo later joined the ADC with the hope of working together ahead of the 2027 elections. However, a wave of litigations within the party forced Obi to leave the ADC for the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), while Rhodes-Vivour chose to remain.

Asked on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Thursday how he intended to navigate the 2027 election without Obi and the support of the Obidient movement, Rhodes-Vivour replied: “By doing the work.”

He said his political profile and grassroots structure had grown significantly since the last election.

“Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of 2023 is not Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of 2026. We have been doing the work, we have been building structures in communities, we have entrenched ourselves. We are standing for the people.

“All the demolitions that have been happening all over Lagos, I have been there with the people, I have provided options, what people can look at and see a new type of Lagos, a Lagos that works for them and prioritises them. We had a fantastic run in 2023, His Excellency Peter Obi, fantastic candidate, there are no issues between us. I just felt that Lagos has a peculiar type of politics that needs a broad based coalition across generations, across tribes, across people with different experiences and we achieved that.”

Rhodes-Vivour said he remained in the ADC because the party had succeeded in building a strong opposition coalition in Lagos State, insisting that such an arrangement is necessary to unseat the current administration.

He expressed confidence that the work already done within the party would translate into electoral success in 2027.

“We came into the coalition because we realised that if we have multiple oppositions it will be difficult to take out this present government and we have succeeded beautifully in Lagos State to build something that I am proud of.

“I am not somebody that does things based on emotions, I look at strategy, I think thoroughly before a decision is made. So, I am very sure that you will see that we will put out a very good outing in this election and by God’s grace, we will win,” he said.

Rhodes-Vivour also dismissed claims that his political strength exists only on social media, insisting that his support base is firmly rooted at the grassroots.

He maintained that he has established a presence in communities across Lagos and alleged that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) retained power in the state in 2023 through violence rather than popularity. (Channels)

Update news