By Ghazali Ibrahim
Former Labour Party governorship candidate in Lagos State, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, has defended his decision to join the African Democratic Congress (ADC), describing it as part of a broader strategy to build a coalition strong enough to unseat the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 elections.
Rhodes-Vivour, who officially registered with the ADC in early September, said the move was not a defection but a step toward consolidating opposition forces across different political divides.
“I would not say I dumped LP because, as you know, the Labour Party is divided into two particular factions. One of such factions is pro-coalition,” he told Arise Television on Monday.
“A coalition is a coming together of several political parties, several political thinkers, and the ADC is the party that has been adopted by the coalition. So I cannot come on here and say I dumped the Labour Party. No, we are focused on building a robust coalition. And yes, I am a registered member of the ADC.”
The Labour Party leadership had criticised his move, calling it “hasty” and “ill-advised,” but Rhodes-Vivour insisted he informed Peter Obi, LP’s 2023 presidential candidate, before formalising his ADC membership.
The former LP flagbearer, who contested against Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in 2023, also confirmed his ambition to run again in 2027.
“I’ve said this several times, by the grace of God, I intend to run in the next election, 2027. My confidence is in the people. We’ve stayed on ground, built networks in communities, learned from mistakes, and we’re still learning,” he said.
“The good thing about coalitions is you’re building your support base, more contacts, and more stakeholders to have a formidable campaign.”
He claimed that the coalition had already attracted “formidable” figures from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the APC, and the LP, stressing that opposition in Lagos is now more united than ever.
However, Rhodes-Vivour raised concerns over alleged police bias after security forces reportedly blocked his coalition’s rally at a Lagos venue, despite prior approvals and payments.
“We got the approvals. We got the letter. We made the payment. On Thursday they came and occupied the venue. On Saturday, the police supervised and protected the APC to do a rally at the same place that I paid for,” he alleged.
“The Commissioner of Police needs to explain why that happened. The job of the police is to protect the citizens, not to determine who can do what, when, and how.”
According to him, over 80 policemen, along with other security forces, occupied the ground, while an armoured personnel carrier was also deployed.
Efforts to meet with the Commissioner of Police, he said, proved unsuccessful.
Despite the setback, Rhodes-Vivour maintained that the opposition is now better positioned to challenge APC dominance in 2027.
“The 2027 race will be more competitive. This coalition will be better structured, better organised, and ready for the challenges ahead,” he added.
