- Says He Was Offered ₦20bn To Relinquish Gov’norship Ambition
- Alleges Seyi Tinubu Is Being Prepared To Succeed Sanwo-Olu
Mobolaji Michael
MR. Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour (GRV), the Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate in Lagos State has given twelve reasons some persons refer to him as Omo-Ale (bastard).
The LP stalwart who’s political stock rose following the unprecedented performance of his party during the 25th February presidential election where the party presidential standard-bearer recorded a marginal win over his rival in the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu in the presidential election conducted in the state.
The Architect-turned politician also claims he was offered ₦20 billion to relinquish his ambition to govern Lagos State. He, however, did not mention the individual (s) who made the offer beyond saying it was meant for the continuation of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in office.
The younger Rhodes-Vivour listed the reasons why he was being referred to as a bastard to include:
- I am their worst nightmare; a true Lagosian. The great-grandson of an eminent indigenous Lagosian, Justice SB Rhodes, a founding father of both the Nigerian Executive and Judiciary who served on the Executive Council of Nigeria with Adeyemo Alakija and together with similarly minded nationalists built Lagos, a credit they and their leader have been trying to steal.
- They do not want a true Lagosian to rule Lagos as no true son of Lagos would allow their unchecked rape of Lagos State resources to continue. Why do you think Funso Williams was killed?
- I pledged to take the money (10% of Lagos State IGR) they are siphoning through Alpha Beta and use it to empower 1 million poor Lagosians with interest-free loans.
- My father, Barrister Olawale Rhodes-Vivour, a distinguished, detribalized true son of Lagos, who embodies the Lagos spirit of accommodation, fell in love with and married my wonderful mother, Nkechi from the Igbo tribe and I Gbadebo (the one who brings the crown) Chinedu (which means ‘God is leading’) Patrick (of noble origin) was born. The fact I would live up to my name and fulfill my destiny to bring back the crown they have stolen scares them.
- They are scared that the circumstances of my birth (half Yoruba, half Igbo) and my family’s pedigree (Rhodes -Vivour history of unblemished public service) make it easy for both members of the Igbo and Yoruba tribes in Lagos to support, trust and see me as one of their own. My soaring acceptance and political profile as a unifier amongst the Yorubas, Igbos, youths and all other tribes in Lagos State scares them so much that they’ve resorted to sponsoring hungry Igbo and Yoruba influencers to go on the social media space to promote an Igbo takeover agenda that does not exist and tag Lagos as a no man’s land in the hopes of linking it to me with an intent to incite my people, the Yoruba against me. They are afraid I’ll take the government from them and bring it back for the benefit of the people of Lagos State.
- I refused their bribe offer of 20 billion Naira to sell out my ticket and step down from the governorship race for Sanwo-Olu. They can’t believe I would reject this offer to betray our cause. My refusal is why they’ve tagged me otherwise that I inherited the stubbornness from my mother’s side.
- I supported and coordinated the campaign of Mr. Peter Obi, the most competent presidential candidate over a questionable candidate from my tribe.
- I have the evidence and I am insisting on going to court with Mr. Peter Obi to prove that the presidential election results figures in Lagos State were tampered with and rigged and that Mr. Peter Obi won Lagos overwhelmingly with 936,000 votes against their leader’s paltry 155,000 votes which is not up to 25% of the total votes cast in Lagos State and despite all their entreaties and the people they’ve sent to beg me using parapoism, I refused to back down.
- I have a plan to rehabilitate the agberos and thugs they only use for their dirty work and reintegrate them back into society as responsible people.
- I promised to fix the bad roads in all parts of Lagos, from Ikotun, Ijegun, Satellite Town, Lagos-Badagry Expressway and Ikorodu to Sagamu Expressway irrespective of the predominant tribe living there in order to boost international trade in Lagos.
- I pledged to provide affordable housing to all Lagosians and stop the racket that goes on with government-built houses.
- I am the biggest threat to their succession plan which will see Seyi Tinubu became governor after Sanwo-Olu.