Former Labour Party governorship candidate in Lagos State, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, has reaffirmed his membership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) amid fresh defections and realignments within Nigeria’s opposition bloc.
In a statement addressed to Lagos residents and ADC supporters on Tuesday, Rhodes-Vivour said he would remain in the party despite the uncertainty currently affecting opposition politics.
The former governorship candidate acknowledged that some opposition figures had chosen to join other platforms, describing such decisions as difficult choices made in uncertain times.
“We are living through a defining moment. Our politics is turbulent, the unity of the opposition is being tested, and for some, it has become necessary to forge different paths,” he said.
“These are hard choices, made in hard times, and I do not judge anyone for the path they have chosen. We are all fighting for a better Nigeria, even when our roads diverge.”
Rhodes-Vivour, however, said his loyalty remains with the ADC, describing it as the platform he had invested in and would continue to build.
“I want to make it clear that I am staying in the African Democratic Congress. It is the platform we have built, the ground we have fought on, and the vehicle that can take us to victory,” he stated.
He said the decision was not based on political convenience but on conviction.
Tracing his political journey, Rhodes-Vivour said his movement through KOWA, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Labour Party (LP) and now the ADC had always been guided by principle.
“My political journey did not begin in comfort. From KOWA, where we built from nothing, to PDP, to Labour Party — every step I have taken has been guided by one thing: conviction,” he said.
The Lagos politician also insisted that he had never compromised with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
“I have never compromised with the APC in Lagos. Not when it was convenient. Not when agreements were put on the table. Not when billions were placed before me. I walked away then, and I would walk away again,” he added.
Rhodes-Vivour said defending electoral mandates in Nigeria requires strong organisation from the polling unit to the collation centre.
According to him, opposition politics must be built on discipline, grassroots strength and readiness to protect votes.
He added that since the 2023 elections, efforts had continued to strengthen opposition structures in Lagos through ward-level mobilisation and coordination across local government areas.
Rhodes-Vivour was the Labour Party governorship candidate in Lagos during the 2023 general elections, where he ran a high-profile campaign that drew strong youth support but lost to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of the APC.
His statement comes amid increasing fragmentation in the opposition ahead of the 2027 elections, with leading figures moving across platforms, including the Labour Party, PDP, ADC and newer coalition arrangements.