2027: Don’t depend on violence, intimidation if you are doing well – Gbadebo Rhodes to APC

Lagos State African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, has issued a sharp challenge to the All Progressives Congress (APC), questioning the party’s reliance on force. Speaking during an interview on News Central Television, he argued that a party truly delivering for its citizens would not need to resort to strong-arm tactics.

Rhodes-Vivour emphasized that the APC’s long-standing dominance in Lagos is increasingly failing to withstand public scrutiny. He asserted that the party’s methods are fundamentally undemocratic, stating, “If the APC government believes that they were doing well by the people, it will not depend on thugs, violence, and intimidation.”

The politician also voiced concerns over the deteriorating security situation in the Southwest region. He criticized the current federal administration’s response to these challenges, suggesting that the rhetoric from the presidency has been dismissive of the public’s suffering. “You have the level of insecurity that has come all the way to the Southwest. President Bola Tinubu has been very callous in his remarks,” he said.

Looking at the local political landscape in Lagos, Rhodes-Vivour characterized the ruling party’s structure as predatory. He claimed that the state’s political machinery operates more like a criminal organization than a governing body, further alleging that it has been “ruining and stealing from our common wealth in ways that are unprecedented.”

According to him, those who continue to support this hegemony are effectively enabling a system that harms the broader population. He concluded that this “mafia-type cartel” remains the primary obstacle to genuine development and prosperity for the people of Lagos State.

Rhodes-Vivour’s recent shift to the ADC marks a significant move in his ongoing political opposition to the APC. As the 2027 election cycle approaches, he continues to position himself as a primary critic of the ruling party’s policies and influence in Nigeria’s commercial hub.