Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour to Campaign in Yoruba for 2027 Election

Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, the Lagos governorship candidate for the African Democratic Congress, announced during an Arise TV interview that he will campaign in the Yoruba language for the 2027 election. He stated that he hired a teacher to learn the language to better connect with residents.

This decision follows political controversy during the 2023 election, where Rhodes-Vivour contested as the Labour Party candidate and finished second to Babajide Sanwo-Olu. During that campaign, critics targeted his limited fluency and his previous statement that he did not "think in Yoruba."

While acknowledging the importance of culture and language, Rhodes-Vivour emphasized that his campaign will prioritize systemic failures affecting all Lagosians regardless of ethnicity. He specifically cited the housing crisis, traffic congestion, and flooding as primary challenges, stating his goal is to ensure that Lagos "no longer stinks."