The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has launched a scathing attack on Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour (GRV), the 2023 Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate, following his recent defection to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
In a strongly worded statement issued on Monday, the APC described Rhodes-Vivour’s political journey as one marked by desperation, inconsistency, and a lack of clear vision. The party labelled his movement across multiple political platforms as “political prostitution” and accused him of jumping from party to party in a bid to chase personal ambition.
GRV, who recently left the Labour Party after a failed bid to unseat Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, officially announced his move to ADC in what he described as a step toward building a progressive third force in Nigerian politics.
“Rhodes-Vivour’s defection to the ADC is nothing more than another desperate hustle by a man who has made political prostitution his career path,” the party said. “From his forgettable beginnings in the obscure Kowa Party, to his brief romance with the PDP, to hijacking Labour Party’s ticket in 2023, and now to ADC, GRV has jumped more parties than a restless frog.”
According to the APC, Rhodes-Vivour’s political movement is not driven by ideology or a passion for service but by selfish ambition and a hunger for relevance.
“Let us be clear: Rhodes-Vivour is not building a political career; he is on a political scavenger hunt. He is forever in search of the next platform to abuse and abandon, the next slogan to parrot, and the next crowd to mislead,” the statement read.
The APC further mocked GRV’s famous quote during the 2023 elections where he stated, “I don’t think in Yoruba.” The party used this to question his cultural connection and leadership credibility.
“No wonder he cannot think straight in politics either. A man who disowns his roots at the level of language cannot be trusted to honour commitments at the level of leadership,” the statement added.
Rhodes-Vivour’s exit from the Labour Party drew mixed reactions, with some members describing it as hasty and disappointing. However, the APC believes LP should not complain, as it had benefitted from GRV’s opportunistic style when it gave him its governorship ticket in 2023.
“The Labour Party needs not cry over a candidate who arrived on a night bus, snatched its gubernatorial ticket and left before dawn. If the party feels used, violated, and dumped, we sympathise,” APC stated.
The ruling party in Lagos said Rhodes-Vivour lacked the seriousness and discipline required for governance, describing him as a “confused apprentice” and a “rolling stone that gathers no moss.”
“Lagos is not a laboratory for serial defectors. Governance is serious business, not a reality TV show where Gbadebo can change costumes every season,” the APC said.
The APC concluded its statement by advising Lagosians to be cautious in placing their trust in politicians who show no consistency or ideology. The party warned that Rhodes-Vivour represents a dangerous trend among some young politicians who treat politics as a personal project rather than a public duty.
“History will not remember him as a statesman or a leader. It will remember him as a cautionary tale – a classic case of ‘Not Too Young to Prostitute,’” the statement concluded.
Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour rose to national prominence in the 2023 general elections when he emerged as the Labour Party’s governorship candidate in Lagos. Riding on the popularity of the “Obidient” movement led by Peter Obi, he gained significant youth support and came second in the polls behind APC’s Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
However, his critics have pointed out his frequent party switches as a sign of political instability. GRV previously contested for office under the Kowa Party and later the PDP before joining LP. Now with ADC, he has aligned with another fringe party, which he claims offers a more progressive platform for his vision.
