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 plan to build a coalition capable of defeating the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 elections.
Rhodes-Vivour, who formally joined ADC in early September 2025, said the move was strategic and aimed at uniting opposition forces from LP, APC, and PDP into a single formidable bloc.
His defection sparked criticism from the Labour Party, which described his move as “hasty” and “ill-advised,” arguing that he left at a crucial time when the party was working to strengthen its internal structure. Rhodes-Vivour clarified that he informed Peter Obi of his plans before making the switch.
Speaking on Arise Television on Monday, Rhodes-Vivour dismissed claims that he had “dumped” LP, insisting that his decision was consistent with the party’s pro-coalition faction.
“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. 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,” he said.
Rhodes-Vivour, who ran against Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in the 2023 election, announced his intention to contest again in 2027 and expressed confidence that the coalition would provide the platform needed to break APC’s hold on Lagos.
“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. The people have shown their strength in 2023. We’ve stayed on ground. We’ve built networks in communities. We’ve learned from mistakes, and we’re still learning. The good thing about coalitions is you’re building your support base, you’re building more contacts and more stakeholders to be able to have a more formidable campaign,” he said.
He added that the coalition had already attracted “formidable” figures from the PDP, APC, and LP, insisting that opposition forces in Lagos are now more united and better positioned for victory in 2027.