Give me time, Rhodes-Vivour begs Obidients over refusal to join NDC

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Former Lagos State governorship candidate of the Labour Party, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, has appealed to supporters of the Obidient movement to give him time amid criticism over his decision to remain in the African Democratic Congress instead of joining the Nigerian Democratic Congress.

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Rhodes-Vivour made the appeal on X on Friday while reacting to concerns from supporters who questioned his refusal to defect alongside Peter Obi and other opposition figures to the to the Nigerian Democratic Congress.

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Responding to an emotional post by an Obidient supporter identified as @firstladyship, Rhodes-Vivour acknowledged the frustrations surrounding the current opposition realignments.

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“Thank you so much for the love, the support not just for me, for the movement, for H.E Peter Obi, but also for Nigeria. Please believe that I will never ever take the support of the Obidients for granted,” he wrote.

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The former governorship candidate praised the role played by Obidients during the 2023 elections and urged them to be patient with his political decisions.

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“I understand how you feel and how you see things in this moment. I only ask you for a bit of time. There is so much I wish I could explain,” he stated.

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Rhodes-Vivour also drew parallels with his controversial exit from the Peoples Democratic Party to the Labour Party before the 2023 elections.

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“I remember how PDP supporters on this App ridiculed and laughed me to scorn when I left to LP in 2022. I remember how that story ended,” he said.

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He further assured supporters that his political relationship with the Obidient movement would remain intact ahead of the 2027 elections.

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“I only ask that you hold on till the end of the month. I promise you at the end of 2027 we will be closer than we were in 2023,” he added.

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The response followed a lengthy post by the supporter, who warned Rhodes-Vivour that remaining in the ADC could weaken his political chances in Lagos.

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The user argued that the African Democratic Congress lacked the political structure needed to challenge the dominance of the ruling All Progressives Congress in Lagos State and suggested that former Lagos governorship candidate, Funso Doherty, may become the preferred choice of Obidients if he secures the NDC governorship ticket.

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“Should Doherty get the NDC’s gubernatorial ticket for Lagos State, Obidients will vote for him. That’s the much I know!” the supporter wrote.

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The development comes amid growing political realignments within Nigeria’s opposition bloc ahead of the 2027 general elections.

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PUNCH Online had reported that Rhodes-Vivour recently reaffirmed his commitment to the ADC despite the exit of key opposition figures to the NDC.

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In a statement earlier this week, he insisted that the ADC remained the platform he had helped build and defended his decision to stay.

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“I want to make it clear that I am staying in the African Democratic Congress. It is the platform we have built, the ground we have fought on, and the vehicle that can take us to victory,” he had stated.

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The political tension intensified after Peter Obi and former Kano State governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, formally joined the NDC as part of broader coalition efforts to challenge the ruling APC in

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