Lagos APC Challenges Rhodes-Vivour to Demonstrate Deeper Understanding of Lagos

 Lagos APC Challenges Rhodes-Vivour to Demonstrate Deeper Understanding of Lagos

The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has challenged the 2023 Labour Party governorship candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, to demonstrate a deeper understanding of Lagos, its people and governance beyond his recent efforts to learn Yoruba.

The challenge was contained in a statement issued by the Lagos APC spokesman, Hon. Seye Oladejo, in reaction to comments by Rhodes-Vivour during a recent appearance on Politics Today on Arise TV.

Rhodes-Vivour had disclosed during the television programme that he recently engaged a Yoruba language teacher to learn the language.

While welcoming the development, Oladejo questioned whether learning Yoruba at this stage was indicative of a broader engagement with the culture, history, traditions and aspirations of the people of Lagos.

He stressed that language was an important gateway to understanding a people, noting that it often carried their history, values, humour, traditions and worldview.

According to the APC spokesman, however, the issue should not be interpreted along ethnic lines, stressing that Lagos remained a cosmopolitan state inhabited by Nigerians from different parts of the country.

“After all, there is nothing wrong with learning the language of the people one seeks to govern. Indeed, it is commendable,” Oladejo said.

He, however, added that understanding Lagos required more than speaking the language, urging Rhodes-Vivour to develop a comprehensive understanding of the state and its governance structures.

APC Defends Hamzat's Experience

Oladejo also defended the experience of the Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, whom Rhodes-Vivour had criticised during the television appearance.

He acknowledged Rhodes-Vivour's right to criticise Hamzat's record but argued that political criticism should not diminish the value of public-sector experience.

Hamzat, he noted, had served Lagos in several capacities, including as commissioner and deputy governor for two terms, in addition to other professional and public-sector roles.

“Rhodes-Vivour may argue that the administration has not done enough. He may identify areas where he believes Hamzat’s record should have been better. That is politics,” Oladejo said.

He maintained that the existence of challenges in Lagos did not automatically invalidate the experience of those who had been involved in governing the state.

APC Questions Rhodes-Vivour's Traffic Solution

The Lagos APC spokesman also faulted what he described as Rhodes-Vivour's treatment of the state's traffic challenge as a straightforward political issue.

While acknowledging that traffic remained a major challenge requiring continued attention, Oladejo said Lagos' transportation problems needed comprehensive policy responses because of the state's population, commercial activities and growing mobility demands.

He challenged Rhodes-Vivour to provide details of any alternative transportation strategy he intends to implement, including proposed infrastructure, financing arrangements, mass-transit plans, implementation timelines and measurable targets.

“The serious question is not whether traffic exists. The serious question is: What is your alternative?” he asked.

According to him, political candidates should go beyond criticism and explain how their proposed solutions would be implemented and funded.

'Lagos Requires More Than Campaign Slogans'

Oladejo further argued that governing Lagos involved complex institutional and administrative responsibilities, including budgeting, urban planning, infrastructure development, security coordination, transportation management and economic policy.

He therefore urged Rhodes-Vivour to allow voters to scrutinise his own plans and capacity rather than focusing primarily on criticism of political opponents.

“Lagos is governed through institutions, budgets, planning, infrastructure, security coordination, transportation systems, economic policy and thousands of daily administrative decisions,” he said.

The APC spokesman acknowledged that there was no shame in learning Yoruba but maintained that language acquisition should be accompanied by a deeper understanding of Lagos and its people.

He said Lagosians would expect candidates ahead of the 2027 governorship election to present comprehensive programmes and demonstrate how their campaign promises could be translated into public policy.

“Lagos is not merely a place to govern. Lagos is a living organism with a history, a culture, an economy and a people whose expectations cannot be reduced to political sound bites,” Oladejo said.

He urged Rhodes-Vivour to focus more on presenting his own vision and governing agenda, saying the 2027 election should be a conversation about the future of Lagos rather than merely an exchange of criticisms between political actors.