There is uneasy calm in the Lagos State chapter of the Labour Party (LP) following the emergence of a former senatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, as the party’s governorship candidate for the 2023 polls.
Rhodes-Vivour polled 111 votes to beat his only opponent, Hon Moshood Adegoke Salvador, who scored 102 votes in an exercise which saw a total of 216 delegates voting.
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Daily Trust reports that the primary, slated for Monday, was postponed over allegations of compromise to the delegates’ list raised by Salvador.
Salvador had on Monday called for the cancellation of the exercise, saying he had lost confidence in the electoral committee.
The Deputy National Chairman of LP, Alhaji Lamidi Apanpa, who declared the result, said with the outcome, the winner, Rhodes- Vivour, would fly the flag of the party as its governorship candidate in the 2023 elections.
Reacting to his victory, Rhodes-Vivour expressed joy over the outcome, which he described as the freest and fairest exercise.
But Salvador rejected the result, alleging over-voting by members of the state executive.
He said, “You can remember that I paid for the form on the 5th of July, 2022, and I was given the INEC nomination form as a candidate.
“They came, raised my hand and declared me candidature and all of you were there. Now we planned affirmation for Monday and they said somebody paid on Friday and asked us to bring 100 delegates each, not even going through the constitutional process of delegates’ formation.
“I reject it in totality. Somebody that came 72 hours ago as against the person that has been prepared before for affirmation, we have done everything. We went to INEC. Is this the way we want to change Nigeria? I just appeal to these people not to spoil Obi’s work.”
