Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, the 2023 Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate in Lagos State, has revealed that he received the blessing of Peter Obi before officially pitching his tent with the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ahead of the 2027 elections.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics on September 7, Rhodes-Vivour clarified that Obi, the LP’s 2023 presidential candidate, not only approved his defection but also sent a representative to his declaration rally on Saturday. “Yes, certainly. Peter Obi and I are aligned. There is no step I am taking that he is not aware of. We have agreed that the only way the opposition can win is through a coalition,” he said.
Rhodes-Vivour stressed that his movement, tagged Our Lagos, is rooted in the belief that the state cannot remain under the dominance of a single political figure. “I don’t believe Lagos belongs to one man. Lagos is our shared responsibility, it is our home. The idea that our commonwealth has been commandeered by one man for over two decades is something I reject,” he declared, in a veiled reference to President Bola Tinubu’s long-standing political structure in the state.
The former LP candidate pointed to Lagos’s infrastructure decay as proof of failed governance, citing Alimosho Local Government, where inner roads remain in deplorable condition. “Instead of fixing them, local government chairmen hire policemen to stop the opposition from holding gatherings. If they provided good governance, they wouldn’t be worried about us,” he lamented.
He further argued that resorting to threats, intimidation, and violence betrays the weakness of those in power. “Violence is the last refuge of politicians. Our fight is not about me, it is about the people of Lagos and Nigeria. That is why Our Lagos is a people-driven movement,” he added.
The declaration comes amid growing talk of opposition coalitions across Nigeria, as political heavyweights position themselves for the 2027 general elections. By aligning with ADC and maintaining close ties with Obi, Rhodes-Vivour is signaling his intent to rally broader support while challenging Tinubu’s formidable political machinery in Lagos.
Observers say his defection may reshape the dynamics of Lagos politics, especially if opposition parties succeed in building the united front he envisions. Whether the coalition he speaks of can truly wrest power from a deeply entrenched system remains one of the biggest questions ahead of 2027.
