Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, the Labour Party’s candidate for governor in Lagos State, advised locals on Wednesday to remain resilient and maintain their hopes despite the violence and intimidation they had been subjected to during the state’s presidential and National Assembly elections.
In a news conference, Rhodes-Vivour praised Lagosians for their support in the election on Saturday and noted that despite efforts by the status quo’s defenders to scuttle it, some of its members were ousted by votes from party supporters both inside and outside the state.
“Our victory is for the people of Lagos, he declared, and it has laid the groundwork for us to change the status quo and start creating a better Lagos in the future. I can sense your desperation, frustration, and rage right now toward a system that cynically seeks to thwart our will and gives us the impression that our votes don’t matter. My folks, don’t lose hope,” he said.
“Our votes actually matter, and they have already led to the resignation of certain status quo members. I am also aware of the dangers they pose to your way of life, the threats they make against your companies, and the violence they threaten to use against you.
“Stand firm because I will stand by you through it all. Together, we will win, and after we do, no one will dare you,” he said. Even if they try to intimidate us, the only thing they can destroy is our hope, so we must keep the fire going.
“In the face of intimidation, thuggery, and oppression, our hope has kept us moving forward. We have come this far because of our hope for a better Lagos and a better Nigeria. In this election season, it has distinguished us.
While pleading with the electorate to dig deep within themselves and find strength to help the party win the next governorship and state House of Assembly elections, Rhodes-Vivour admonished them not to succumb to self-doubt or primal anxieties.
“We’ve come too far to go back, he declared. I, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, a native of Lagos State, swear to support you all the way through. No force on earth can stop people from making a change when they are committed to doing so. We must thus never give up!
“I am merely a vehicle through which we will all achieve the collective change we seek; every Lagosian who has been victimized and oppressed by the status quo is running for this office, not just me. I am a true-born Lagosian who is on fire for a new Lagos, and I assure you that everyone who lives in Lagos State will be treated fairly and equitably under this new Lagos.”
