The governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the 2027 Lagos governorship election, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, has said the opposition needs to work together to give President Bola Tinubu a run for his money as next year’s general election inches closer.
Rhodes-Vivour gave the advice while speaking on Politics Today, monitored by Tribune Online, on Monday night in Abuja. He said he would have loved a situation where the opposition came together as one to confront Tinubu, whom he described as a very formidable and tough adversary. The ADC governorship candidate, however, added that it would be difficult for the President and his party, the APC, to win in Lagos because Tinubu and members of his party are out of touch with the people.
He stated: “In an ideal world, I would have wished that the opposition sticks together. Because whether we like it or not, we are facing a very formidable adversary. You must respect your opponents and give them their flowers. Very formidable. Ideally, I would have loved for us to come together. He (Tinubu) is formidable. He’s going to be a tough one. More difficult now, I don’t know but I don’t see a pathway for him to win even in Lagos. We have politicians that are out of touch.”
Rhodes-Vivour added that he is contesting to be elected governor in the next election as he is going to push a Lagos-first agenda that will work for everyone irrespective of party affiliation or any other factors.
“I’m the candidate that they can trust in this next election. I’m also going to push for a Lagos first agenda. It’s not about party. If you are in APC and you are tired of the stinking Lagos that you are experiencing, vote for me. We are going to do a Lagos first agenda for the next election. I’ve shown that I’m very passionate and consistent about delivering a Lagos that works for everyone.
“I have shown consistency, ideas and solutions to problems. Over a period of almost 12 years, I’ve done that. I’ve shown consistency with ideas on how to make housing more affordable. All the billionaires that have run Nigeria and have made Lagos and Nigeria the centre of poverty in the world, what do you have to say for that?”
The governorship candidate, however, said he should not be judged by his inexperience in governance but by what he is bringing on board. He made reference to former Governor Lateef Jakande, who he said had no prior governance experience but remained the best governor that Lagos has had till date.
“It would seem that people that don’t have the governance or governorship experience seem to have been the best. Alhaji Lateef Jakande is the best governor that Lagos has had. He was not in government. He came with brilliant ideas with a vision that literally transformed Lagos that we still talk about him so many years on.
“And I look and say the person you’re talking about that has all these experience is the person that is coming and saying that traffic is a lifestyle that Lagosians should be happy about. Is that experience? Somebody that cannot estimate the amount of waste that Lagos produces and he’s being in office for 19 years? Is that the continuity you are talking about. Continuity of mediocrity.”
Speaking on the controversy surrounding his family background, he said: “Initially when I do not understand that it’s a distraction straight, I was shocked because I don’t understand how people just keep lying and I also don’t understand how people… Because the people that are spreading those lies are somebody whose entire life is smeared or covered with a lot of controversies whether his certificates… He has lawyers that are protecting his documentation. We have history that is so well documented that books exist for my family, it’s above controversy.”
Credit: Nigerian Tribune