Dare Babalola
The Labour Party has faulted the defection of its former Lagos governorship candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
In a statement on Sunday by the party’s interim National Publicity Secretary, Tony Akeni, LP described the move as hasty and ill-advised, noting that Rhodes-Vivour should have taken a cue from the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, who has continued to engage opposition parties without leaving the LP.
Akeni said, “Our party’s view is therefore that a rainbow coalition of multi-party colours carrying along Nigeria’s ballot population, driven by a common unifying electorate mobilisation, is what Nigerians need to sack APC and President Bola Tinubu’s dictatorship out of power in 2027.
“This is the patriotic manual that our party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, is working with, and we as the Labour Party are one with him in it. Without defecting, the understanding involves Labour Party and PO meeting and engaging in broad-based multi-party liaison with all well-meaning opposition political parties.”
While admitting that no single opposition party, including the LP, could single-handedly dislodge the APC in 2027, Akeni maintained that Rhodes-Vivour’s choice to quit the party was not the way forward.
“Rhodes Vivour should have followed the footsteps of his master. That is what the Labour Party had expected him to do if he were reading well the signs on the wall.
“By jumping the gun and hastily jumping boats, Vivour has shown, from our viewpoint, that he is still to learn some imperative essentials in his young political journey. Politicians who genuinely mean to serve their people should learn to hurry slowly.
“As a political party, the Labour Party wishes him well,” Akeni added.
At an event in Alimosho, Lagos State on Saturday, Rhodes-Vivour decamped to ADC stating that the move was part of building a united front against the APC.
“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 said.
