By Ayo Ayodele
Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, the Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate in the 2023 Lagos State election, has released the names of Lagos State chairmen of African Democratic Congress(ADC) even as he called on Nigerians to remain united and focused. He warned against distractions and internal divisions amid worsening economic and social conditions.
In a statement released on X (formerly Twitter), Rhodes-Vivour said the country was experiencing the consequences of poor governance, stressing that hardship cuts across class, ethnicity, and ideology.
“This is not the time to be distracted. This is not the time to doubt,” he said, urging Nigerians to resist divisive narratives and recognise what he described as a shared struggle against bad governance.
Reflecting on the 2023 general elections, Rhodes-Vivour said recent events had shown that elections could have damaging consequences, adding that governance failures were no longer theoretical but had directly affected citizens’ daily lives.
He cited the country’s inability to guarantee security and protect vulnerable groups, rising food and rent prices amid stagnant incomes, and what he described as misplaced government spending priorities. According to him, public funds continue to be allocated to luxury items and repeated renovations of government facilities, while basic social needs remain unmet.
The former governorship candidate also accused authorities of relying on intimidation and violence to suppress dissent, referencing incidents ranging from the #EndSARS protests to the 2023 elections and recent political activities in Lagos.
Rhodes-Vivour further condemned ongoing demolitions across Lagos State, which he said have displaced thousands of residents without adequate compensation or relocation plans.
Describing the current system as a “mafia-style” government built on propaganda and self-enrichment, he called for collective action to end what he termed governance that benefits a few at the expense of the majority.
Invoking the words of late Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, Rhodes-Vivour said Nigerians continue to experience “sorrow, tears and blood” under the present order.
He urged citizens to work together in pursuit of a people-focused government that is accountable, empathetic, and committed to improving the livelihoods of the majority. As part of this mobilisation, he encouraged political engagement at the grassroots level through local government structures.
Rhodes-Vivour listed the following ADC Local Government Area chairmen in Lagos:
Agege: Abass Adeleke
Ajeromi-Ifelodun: Madu Patrick
Alimosho: Wesley Odeyemi
Amuwo-Odofin: Aguguesi Clifford
Apapa: Dr. Benjamin Emmanuel
Badagry: Duru Everest
Epe: Amuni Fuad
Eti-Osa: Ekanem Elizabeth
Ibeju-Lekki: Anaere Ugochukwu
Ifako-Ijaiye: Omobolanre Yemi
Ikeja: Akachukwu Sunday
Ikorodu: Dosu Joel
Kosofe: Ajiboye Seun
Lagos Island: Oyewole Sunmisire
Lagos Mainland: Faniyi Oluwatosin
Mushin: Akinfenwa Bolaji
Ojo: Adebiyi Luqman
Oshodi-Isolo: Okafor Chukwudi
Somolu: Okeowo Bukola
Surulere: Esebamen Collins