The former Labour Party governorship candidate in Lagos State, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, has formally joined the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
He made the declaration on Saturday at an event in Lagos, aligning himself with the ADC-led coalition of opposition parties formed in July to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general elections.
Speaking at the event, Rhodes-Vivour said his defection was part of a broader coalition effort. “I am happy to become part of this family. I’m looking forward to the union and governance that this party will bring to Nigerians. My prayer is that God will grant our leaders and the party’s structure the wisdom to come together and define a new path for our beloved country,” he stated.
He called on opposition parties to unite ahead of 2027, stressing that division would only weaken their chances. “This is a coalition that is meant to rescue Nigeria. I have said since after the 2023 elections that we cannot afford to divide the opposition going into the next election. We must come together, united through a robust coalition that will stand a chance in 2027 to deliver this country,” he added.
The announcement came a day after Rhodes-Vivour accused the police of trying to frustrate the event. His aide, Olalekan Anjolaiya, said security operatives had initially barred supporters from the venue in Alimosho, Lagos, before it was later relocated. Confirming his move to ADC, Rhodes-Vivour said he would address the press fully on the incident.
ADC chairman in Lagos, George Ashiru, described the defection as a major boost for the opposition. “Today we are having one of the most important affirmation programmes where our coalition partners from one of the key blocs in the Labour Party are joining this wonderful family of Nigerians, the African Democratic Congress. We are not affirming one man, we are affirming a movement, but every movement has a leader, and what brother Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour represents is the leadership of a movement that shook Lagos in the last election,” he said.
Ashiru explained that the coalition was built on discussions that began during the 2023 elections and had now matured into a united platform to challenge APC’s dominance.
Also at the event, Professor Ola Olateju, representing former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, encouraged party members to believe in their ability to offer Nigerians a true alternative. “Anybody here could become anything. There is equal opportunity for everybody irrespective of ethnic group, gender or class. ADC is not just a political party; it’s a movement, a movement of the people. It is an exodus. We are moving in order to rescue Nigeria,” he said.
