The first thing that would probably strike anyone meeting Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour – the candidate of the Labour Party in the March 18, 2023 gubernatorial election in Lagos State – for the first time is his disarming countenance, friendly mien and, of course most importantly, his political astuteness.
And not forgetting his lionhearted mentality during the last election, which was on display when he faced multiple challenges and opposition during his failed bid to takeover Alausa, the seat of the Lagos State government, Rhodes-Vivour or GRV, as his supporters call him, could also come off as an off-the-shelf politician who would never cry his political opponents a river.
Born 41 years ago in Lagos Island, Lagos State, Nigeria, to Olawale Rhodes-Vivour and his beautiful Igbo wife, Nkechi Rhodes-Vivour, “Chinedu”, as the younger Rhodes-Vivour was also christened, has never been timid to use his resourcefulness in impacting the lives of those in his constituency.
To demonstrate his loyalty to the people, especially at the grassroots, and serve them in whatever capacity he could, a fresh-faced GRV in 2017 threw his hat in the ring for the chairmanship of Ikeja Local Government Area.
But unlike politicians who were seeking to be elected on either the platform of the All Progressives Congress or the People’s Democratic Party, two of the strongest parties in Lagos State, GRV opted to sail with a relatively unknown KOWA Party.
He lost that election but did not allow the defeat to draw the curtain on his burgeoning political career.
GRV then decamped to the PDP, a decision some analysts said was ill-advised. He thereon set his sights on the National Assembly in the 2019 general elections, where an opportunity for a Lagos West senatorial seat beckoned.
He lost that election, too, but stayed put in the PDP till the 2023 general elections season. On this occasion, however, GRV had his heart set on the governorship seat.
But even though the politicking in the Lagos PDP made him to accede to the party’s request to step down from the governorship race for a deputy governorship slot, the party would later be accused of reneging on the agreement.
Unable to come to terms with the betrayal, GRV quickly jumped ship to the Labour Party, and became a favourite among members of the Obidient movement, the supporters of Labour Party’s then presidential candidate, Peter Obi, in Lagos State.
At the time, Obi was already getting a lot of buzz and attention, especially among the youths on social media, and it had rubbed off immensely on GRV.
The governorship hopeful then became the cynosure of all eyes. Suddenly, everyone wanted to know who GRV, the new kid on the block, was.
His education, lifestyle and even family background came under scrutiny. And as to his detractors, anything that could be used to “nail” him was more than welcomed.
Before the election last year, there were allegations of certificate forgery levelled against GRV but he was spared the blushes after his school, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the United States of America said he has a Master’s degree from it.
Meanwhile, the searchlight was also turned in the direction of his family, and one of the first things naysayers found out about his family was that his father is not married to a Yoruba woman.
To cap things all off, GRV himself is married to a non-Yoruba woman, Ifeyinwa Aniebo Rhodes-Vivour, and so the floodgates of abuse had intensified.
Although Obi did the unimaginable by beating Tinubu in the presidential contest in Lagos State, GRV could not reenact a similar feat in the governorship race. He lost to the incumbent Governor of the State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
Now, less than two and a half years to the next general elections, GRV is already being nudged in some quarters into coming to the APC for mentorship. The thinking is that he will be able to realise his governorship dreams if he flies the flag of the APC.
But the man in the eye of the storm, GRV, said that as a matter of principle, he cannot join the APC. He has also always insisted that he can beat the APC in Lagos.
Interestingly, GRV has been advised to either return to the PDP or form an alliance with the former ruling party and other smaller parties in Lagos State, just like Obi and former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, are trying to do at the national level as they prepare for 2027.
So far, he has been quiet and kept Lagosians, and Nigerians alike, guessing about his next course of action.
“The governorship hopeful then became the cynosure of all eyes. Suddenly, everyone wanted to know who GRV, the new kid on the block, was”
A political analyst, Benedict Njoku, who shared his thoughts with The Point on GRV loosening the grip of the APC on Lagos said, “I’m careful not to say so much about it because 2027 to me is still a long way off.
“However, time flies and before you will know what hits you, elections will be knocking on your door again.
“And so for that, I will say that it will be difficult for Rhodes-Vivour, if not impossible, to overcome APC in Lagos in 2027.
“Mind you, there will be a new candidate for APC in 2027 and beating him or her will be more difficult than beating an APC incumbent governor that is looking for a second term in office.
“Anyway, I do think that the dynamics of Lagos politics will still work against GRV. But let us wait and see.”
An ally of GRV, Marvins Abhulimen, who was in 2017 the Acting Deputy Chairman of KOWA Party, Lagos State chapter, when GRV contested for a chairmanship seat on the party’s platform, disagreed with those canvassing mentorship for him.
Abhulimen also asserted that GRV can make it in Lagos State in 2027 only if Nigeria gets it right with an electoral body, the Independent National Electoral Commission. He added that a free, fair and unbiased electoral body was primary.
“I believe GRV can make it. In fact, I am very sure that he won the last election but we know how elections are.
“So, the first thing we need to get right is the electoral body, the Independent National Electoral Commission, and this is in the interest of all Nigerians.
“It is an improvement in the electoral system that will allow for people’s votes to count.
“Therefore, GRV can win the election in 2027 and an alliance is not primary. What is primary is for a free, fair and unbiased electoral body,” said Abhulimen.
Making further clarification of his position on the possibility of an alliance, Abhulimen who was also in the campaign team of GRV, said, “I agree that for a clear victory even under current circumstances, there is need for some alliance.
“But between now and 2027, there will be a lot of realignments.
“The PDP in itself in Lagos is not the key factor to help a GRV victory. The PDP was not in contention in 2023 and even if GRV did not contest, the party wouldn’t have given the APC a run for their money.
“So, you must understand the impact of what GRV has done. What we really need in 2027 is for smaller parties, like ADC, LP, SDP and others, to come around and work together, and if the PDP is available, fine.
“But to make the PDP the principal member of the alliance is not going to work and this is because even though all the parties are compromised, the PDP is far more compromised in Lagos State.”
Asked to comment on those who say that GRV can win an election only when he comes under the mentorship of those in the APC, Abhulimen asked who those that were going to mentor GRV were.
He also raised questions about the quality of people mentoring others in the APC.
He said there are a lot of people in the APC with the kind of intellect, capacity and commitment GRV possesses, but who would never be promoted to leadership positions or made candidates.
He said that such a group of people would only be used in positions like Commissioners, Special advisers and that their intellect would only be used to “defend anti-people policies of the state government.”
Moreover, Abhulimen said that those who advise people like GRV to go to the APC for mentoring do not mean well for democracy.
He stressed that no matter how bad it is, such individuals should remain in the opposition even though they would find it difficult to win an election there.
