Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour on Wednesday night won the rescheduled governorship primary of the Labour Party in Lagos State.
Rhodes-Vivour polled a total of 111 votes to beat his arch and only rival, Moshood Adegoke Salvador who scored 102 votes in an exercise which saw a total of 216 delegates vote, and witnessed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The rescheduled governorship primary earlier slated for last Monday, in Oshodi area of the state, was cancelled and a new date fixed for Wednesday, due to complaints by Salvador that the delegates list was compromised in favour of his opponent.
Deputy National Chairman of Labour Party, Lamidi Apanpa officially declared the result, saying that with the outcome, the winner, Rhodes-Vivour would fly the flag of the party as its governorship candidate, in the 2023 general election.
Reacting to his victory, Rhodes-Vivour expressed joy over the outcome of the primary, describing the primary as the freest and fairest exercise.
He stressed that the LP was set to from next government in Lagos State.
“Salvador is like a father, I will reach out to him for advice because he has a formidable structure,” he said.
Salvador, in his reaction, rejected the result, saying that there were exco members who voted three times.
He, however, noted that the problem was left for the party to address if it wants to win Lagos State in the 2023 election.
Salvador, had earlier in his address to the delegates on his plan for Lagos State, if given the party’s ticket and elected as next governor, said his administration would extend Lagos investments to the rest parts of South-West states through its Industrial Revolution Development Agenda, lamenting that increases in the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) over the years had made very little impact.
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Salvador assured that he should be taken for his words, positing that talking of a state of excellence required a man of excellence and experience to pilot Lagos State to achieve its dream.
The party’s governorship aspirant, while speaking further, said it saddened him to see people sleeping under the bridge, promising to continue to invest in the youth as he had been doing over the years from his private pocket, for a greater Lagos.
“I am a fighter for the youth, we would succeed, take me for my word,” he said.
Addressing the delegates, Rhodes- Vivour promised that his administration would ensure a Lagos that works, declaring that it was time to take Lagos from those who he said had continued to put the state in their pockets.
He further said it was time for a new Lagos, where Lagosians would go to hospitals and get treated and would not spend hours in the traffic.
According to him, “Our Lagos is meant to work for all of us. There would be jobs for all our youths so that they can be useful to the society.
“We are surrounded by water and nobody is supplying water to anybody. We are going to address the traffic situation in the state, we would build Lagos that you would all be proud of.”
In his welcome address, Chairman of the Lagos State chapter of Labour Party (LP), Kayode Salako, said leaders and delegates were gathered at the occasion to pick the governorship candidate between the duo of Salvador and Rhodes- Vivour, who he described as best personalities for the position, assuring that the party would produce the next governor of Lagos State, come 2023, and by extension the next president of Nigeria.
“Let me assure you that in 2023, LP will produce the governor of Lagos State and by extension the president of Nigeria,” Salako said.
The party chieftain expressed his appreciation to the leaders, delegates and the INEC team in attendance, describing the primary exercise as the first test his leadership was putting in place to ensure the emergence of the man who would be the party’s governorship candidate for the 2023 election in the state.
Other party leaders present at the exercise were Deputy National Chairman, Lamidi Apanpa; LP National Vice Chairman, Muhammed Alkali; former governorship candidate of the party in Lagos State, Rotimi Olulana; Olukayode Salako, Sam Okpara, Memunat Okoya, among others.
