Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, the former Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate for Lagos State, has pushed back against claims that he abandoned Peter Obi, the party’s former presidential candidate, by defecting to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Speaking on Channels Television’s “Politics Today,” Rhodes-Vivour clarified that Obi was fully aware of his move and had been kept in the loop on all his political plans. “Certainly, His Excellency was aware. A representative of his was even at the declaration yesterday,” Rhodes-Vivour said. He added that he and Obi are “aligned” and that their ultimate goal is to form a successful opposition coalition for the upcoming 2027 general election.
Rhodes-Vivour’s clarification follows criticism from the Nenadi Usman-led faction of the Labour Party, which described his defection as “hasty and ill-advised.” The LP leadership argued that he should have followed Obi’s lead by engaging with other opposition parties without formally leaving the Labour Party.
However, sources and reports indicate that Peter Obi himself has been a key figure in the formation of a broader opposition coalition, with the ADC being adopted as a unified platform. Reports also suggest that Obi has publicly backed the ADC coalition as the way forward for opposition forces, and has even appointed key figures to its leadership.
Rhodes-Vivour officially announced his switch to the ADC on Saturday at an event in Alimosho, Lagos, emphasizing that a united front is the only way to challenge the ruling party.
