Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, the Labour Party candidate for governor of Lagos State, addressed the violence that occurred during the election on Saturday during a press conference on Wednesday.
During the conference, Gbadebo urged the executive and judicial branches of government to act justly toward the citizens of Lagos and all of Nigeria in order to serve justice to victims of election-related violence.
The LP candidate criticized the All Progressive Congress for reportedly funding and employing thugs to control and incite mayhem during the 2023 Lagos State gubernatorial election.
He asserted that the APC will abolish democracy and establish “agberocracy” – which is the elevation of thuggery – as a new political regime.
Where the President-Elect under the APC has called for “healing” and reconciliation, Gbadebo has called for justice for the people of Lagos and victims of violence all over the nation before the people can truly move past the incidents that took place.
“We are trying to preserve democracy and have it evolve into ‘agberocracy’. A situation where thugs and militants determine our leadership and we cannot vent and hold our politicians to account because they are going to use machetes and guns to suppress us and silence us.
“This is what is at stake right now; our future. And we cannot afford to have it go into the hands of evil and diabolical people.”
He went further to refer to the APC as an “evil organization” that reduces tradition as a tool for disruption and evil. This was in reference to the Oro festival that took place oncthr eve of the election.
“The APC unleashed evil on Lagosians. They weaponized poverty, violence and insecurity to win under the guise of ethnic strife. We cannot allow this military, one-party type of government to stand. I implore Lagosians to speak up as we go through all legal means to fight this.“
The politician announced the launch of his platform, grvcares2023.com made available to victims of electoral violence. He promised to foot bills of victims who upload medical bills and police reports to the platform.
In addition to speaking out, he urged the victims to submit any documentation of the electoral violence, including photos, videos, and other media.
Rhides-Vivour stated his intention to guarantee that individuals responsible for the outbreak of violence in the voting units are held accountable through legal action.
Glamour Adah
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