Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour’s ‘Victory’ Shaky As Lagos Labour Party Candidate Rejects Substitution

It is not yet uhuru for the ‘Governorship candidate’ of the Labour Party (LP) in Lagos State, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, as Ifagbemi Awamaridi insists that he remains the party’s flag bearer in the 2023 race.

Naija News recall that Rhodes-Vivour had scored 111 votes to defeat his opponent Mashood Salvador in the Labour Party substitution primary held last Wednesday in Ikeja, Lagos.

Salvador, a former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) State chairman polled 102 votes.

Recall that Rhodes, 39, had last month left the PDP to join the Labour Party to fulfil him ambition of running for the governorship of Lagos State.

But speaking in an event on Saturday in Alagbado, Lagos, Awamaridi maintained that he remains the gubernatorial candidate recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

While disclosing that he decided to speak out because he can’t afford to be “complacent”, the candidate said the party works with “constitution and not the imaginations of (some) individuals.”

He also said that he “came in through the Congress” and is the authentic state chairman of the party.

“I head the structure of the Labour Party. Anyone that tells you he is the chairman, let him call the meeting of the genuine local government Exco’s,” he said.

Awamaridi said that some members said that he has withdrawn from the race and has been moved to a “higher position.”

“So, why was I not there?” he said referring to the substitution primary election.

He said that Rhodes-Vivour did not inform him of his governorship ambition.