Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, the Labour Party’s candidate for the Lagos State governorship in 2023, recently shared insights from a conversation with a prominent Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader about Peter Obi, the former Governor of Anambra State.
Rhodes-Vivour recalled that during his time in the PDP, Obi had addressed the party delegates before the presidential primary election. After Obi’s speech, a PDP leader, who Rhodes-Vivour chose not to name, expressed that while Obi was the type of leader Nigeria needed, he was not the politician the PDP required.
This conversation was shared by Rhodes-Vivour during his appearance on the popular podcast, “The Honest Bunch”. He remembered Obi’s speech vividly, noting that Obi, dressed in a simple white t-shirt and trousers, spoke passionately about statistics and other matters.
After Obi’s departure, the party leaders expressed uncertainty. However, one major leader confided in Rhodes-Vivour, stating that Obi was the leader Nigeria needed because he believed in sharing and elevating others to his vision. This contrasted with other politicians who were more interested in monetary transactions than selling a vision.
Rhodes-Vivour attributed Obi’s rising political influence to his ability to share his vision and connect with people. Obi, who was the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, received immense support from the youth who were seeking a new political order in Nigeria.
Rhodes-Vivour expressed hope for a new era in Nigeria where elections could be won without vote-buying, emphasizing that the youth were in search of true leaders. He pointed out that many of the current candidates were not deserving of the youth’s votes.
He urged for a change in the narrative, emphasizing that the status quo could not continue. Rhodes-Vivour highlighted that those who usurp power do not serve the people, and noted that Nigeria’s situation had deteriorated since the last general elections.
“Consider the state of Nigeria: we’re in a worse position than before the election. Elections have consequences,” Rhodes-Vivour concluded.
