Jul 2, 2026

From Obi Ally to ADC Lone Wolf: Rhodes-Vivour’s Bold Lagos Gamble

By Afolabi Olaiya Idowu in politics

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Lagos, Nigeria – July 2, 2026 – In a candid declaration that signals shifting alliances in Nigeria’s opposition politics, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, the 2023 Labour Party governorship candidate in Lagos, has outlined a grassroots-driven strategy to contest the 2027 election on the African Democratic Congress (ADC) platform — independent of the massive “Peter Obi effect” that propelled his earlier campaign.

Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, Rhodes-Vivour emphasized strategic coalition-building and sustained community engagement over reliance on national sentiment.

“By doing the work,” he replied when asked how he would navigate the race without the Obidient movement’s surge. “Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of 2023 is not Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of 2026.”

Rhodes-Vivour and Peter Obi ran on the Labour Party ticket in 2023, where the Obidient movement delivered impressive performances in both the presidential and Lagos governorship polls.

The pair later migrated to the ADC amid opposition realignment efforts. However, internal litigations within the ADC prompted Obi to depart for the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), while Rhodes-Vivour stayed and emerged as the party’s Lagos governorship candidate following a direct primary.

“There are no issues between us,” Rhodes-Vivour clarified about his relationship with Obi.

He praised the former Anambra governor as a “fantastic candidate” but stressed Lagos’s unique political dynamics demand a “broad-based coalition across generations, across tribes, across people with different experiences.”

The architect-turned-politician dismissed notions that his support is limited to online spaces.

He pointed to years of on-ground presence: standing with communities affected by demolitions, offering alternatives, and building structures that prioritize residents’ needs.

“We have been doing the work, we have been building structures in communities, we have entrenched ourselves. We are standing for the people,” he asserted.

Rhodes-Vivour also alleged that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) retained power in 2023 through violence rather than genuine popularity, a claim that underscores the high-stakes battle ahead.

Rhodes-Vivour expressed pride in the ADC’s success in forging a strong opposition front in Lagos. He framed the move as pragmatic rather than emotional:

“I am not somebody that does things based on emotions. I look at strategy.” He remains confident that this coalition will deliver victory in 2027, positioning the ADC as a viable alternative to unseat the long-dominant APC in Nigeria’s commercial capital.

Lagos, with its complex ethnic, generational, and economic dynamics, has proven a tough nut for opposition parties.

Rhodes-Vivour’s 2023 run came remarkably close despite the odds, fueled largely by the national Obi wave.

His current approach reflects a maturing political calculation: investing in local structures while maintaining respect for national figures like Obi.

As 2027 draws nearer, his candidacy tests whether a focused, coalition-driven campaign can overcome incumbency advantages without the viral national momentum that defined the previous cycle.

Political watchers will be keen to see if his “do the work” philosophy translates into the kind of broad appeal needed to challenge the APC machinery.

Rhodes-Vivour’s message is clear: Lagos politics requires more than borrowed national charisma — it demands rooted, strategic persistence.

Whether this independent path yields the desired breakthrough remains one of the intriguing storylines heading into Nigeria’s next electoral season.