Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, who was the Labour Party governorship candidate for Lagos in the last elections, recently announced his move to the African Democratic Congress (ADC). This decision, he stated, was made with the full endorsement of Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 elections. Rhodes-Vivour, during an appearance on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today,’ emphasized his continuous and close communication with Peter Obi, asserting that they are “aligned” in their political approaches. He further disclosed that a representative of Obi was present at his official declaration to join the ADC, reinforcing his claim that, “There is no step I am taking that he is not aware of.”

According to Rhodes-Vivour, this strategic move is an integral part of a broader plan for the opposition as they prepare for the 2027 general elections. He underscored that forming a coalition is the only viable path for the opposition to achieve electoral success, and all parties involved are collectively working towards this shared objective, irrespective of their current political affiliations.

However, the interim leadership of the Labour Party (LP) swiftly dismissed Rhodes-Vivour’s defection, labeling the development as “laughable” on Sunday. Despite this strong initial reaction, the LP’s Interim National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Tony Akeni, clarified that the party felt compelled to address the issue only due to numerous inquiries from the news media, indicating that the defection itself did not significantly impact the party.

Akeni articulated the Labour Party’s position, stating that there is a “settled consensus” among the leadership that a single opposition party, including the LP, would likely fall short of victory against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027. The party’s viewpoint, therefore, advocates for a “rainbow coalition of multi-party colours,” aiming to mobilize the Nigerian electorate and unite to challenge the APC and President Tinubu’s administration. This, Akeni stated, is the “patriotic manual” that Peter Obi, their 2023 presidential candidate, is actively working with, and the Labour Party fully supports his vision.

Despite this alignment on the strategic importance of a coalition, the Labour Party criticized Rhodes-Vivour for “hastily jumping boats,” suggesting he had “jumped the gun” in his political journey. The LP leadership believes Rhodes-Vivour should have emulated Peter Obi, who, despite supporting the coalition strategy, has chosen to remain within the Labour Party, which he considers his own. The LP argued that politicians genuinely committed to serving the people should learn to “hurry slowly.”

The party also speculated on the potential involvement of the All Progressives Congress (APC), suggesting a “hidden hand” in some ongoing political developments aimed at frustrating genuine opposition parties ahead of the 2027 elections. Nevertheless, the Labour Party expressed confidence that these challenges would eventually subside when opposition parties unite to endorse the most formidable candidate to contest against President Bola Tinubu in 2027. The LP envisions a future where a “confluence of all the progressive opposition political forces” will emerge to make critical decisions, including selecting presidential and governorship candidates across the federation, regardless of their original party platforms, thereby restoring multi-party democracy which they believe the current APC government seeks to undermine.