2027: I Can Win Lagos Governorship Without Peter Obi’s Backing — Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate in Lagos State, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, has stated that his 2027 bid for the governorship will be driven solely by its own merits, without relying on the backing of former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi or the Obidient movement.

Rhodes-Vivour disclosed this in a Thursday interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, where he addressed questions regarding the direction of his campaign in the wake of Obi’s exit from the ADC to the newly established Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).

Asked directly how he planned to run his campaign without Obi and the Obidient movement in his corner, Rhodes-Vivour offered a simple response: “By doing the work.”

He pointed to the growth of his political profile and grassroots network since he first contested the Lagos governorship in 2023, arguing that he is now a markedly different political force.

“Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of 2023 is not Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of 2026. We have been doing the work, we have been building structures in communities, we have entrenched ourselves. We are standing for the people,” he said.

The ADC candidate also spoke about his continued engagement with Lagos residents affected by demolitions across the state, saying the experience had deepened his ties to local communities and shaped his vision for governance.

On his working relationship with Obi, Rhodes-Vivour was quick to note there was no rift between them, describing their 2023 partnership as a success built on a broad political coalition.

“We had a fantastic run in 2023. His Excellency Peter Obi, fantastic candidate, there are no issues between us. I just felt that Lagos has a peculiar type of politics that needs a broad-based coalition across generations, across tribes, across people with different experiences and we achieved that,” he said.

Explaining his decision to remain within the ADC despite the party’s internal troubles, Rhodes-Vivour said the coalition it had built in Lagos represented a credible opposition front capable of challenging the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

“We came into the coalition because we realised that if we have multiple oppositions it will be difficult to take out this present government and we have succeeded beautifully in Lagos State to build something that I am proud of,” he said.

Looking ahead to the 2027 governorship election, Rhodes-Vivour expressed confidence in his chances, stressing that his approach was rooted in strategy rather than sentiment.

“I am very sure that you will see that we will put out a very good outing in this election and by God’s grace, we will win,” he said.

He further pushed back against suggestions that his political support is confined to social media, insisting that his popularity is backed by a solid grassroots presence built across communities in Lagos State.