The 2023 Labour Party governorship candidate in Lagos State, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, confidently declared that the Labour Party would not only win the 2027 elections but also seize power in Lagos. He made this assertion while speaking with journalists in Umuahia, the capital of Abia State, where he attended an extended stakeholders’ meeting of the Labour Party.
Rhodes-Vivour emphasized that since the party’s strong performance in Lagos during the 2023 elections, where it made significant strides, particularly in the presidential poll, the Labour Party has become more robust. According to him, the party has been building on its success and strategically strengthening itself to take control of Lagos in 2027.
He expressed optimism about the outcome of the stakeholders’ meeting in Umuahia, describing it as a pivotal moment that solidified the party’s future. “The Labour Party is now well-structured, not only to win but to take power in 2027,” he stated. He explained that the meeting in Umuahia was aimed at aligning party members and preparing for further victories in the upcoming elections.
Rhodes-Vivour projected that the Labour Party would secure Lagos State more decisively in 2027, stressing that the party’s efforts had been continuous since the 2023 elections. “We are not just going to win; we will take power,” he asserted, adding that the party has only grown stronger.
He criticized the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for its poor governance, claiming that the APC’s failures have made it easier for the Labour Party to gain traction in both Lagos and across Nigeria. He cited the worsening economic conditions and rising hunger as clear indicators of the APC’s incompetence. “The APC has been failing Nigerians for a long time, though the situation has worsened now,” he remarked.
Rhodes-Vivour praised Labour Party leader Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate, as well as Governor Alex Otti of Abia State and other key party figures for their efforts to restructure and revitalize the party. He called the stakeholders’ meeting a major step toward advancing the party.
He also addressed the recent leadership crisis within the Labour Party, where the Comrade Julius Abure-led National Working Committee, whose term ended in June, clashed with the Nigeria Labour Congress, which originally founded the party.
However, during the Umuahia meeting, stakeholders resolved the conflict by appointing a 29-member Caretaker Committee led by former Finance Minister Senator Nenadi Usman. This committee is tasked with reorganizing the party and planning a new convention within 90 days.
