The Lagos State Governorship candidate of the Labour Party, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, has rejected the results of the gubernatorial election being announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The commission has announced results from 19 out of the 20 Local Government Areas in the state with the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate and incumbent governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu leading his closest challenger, Rhodes-Vivour with over 400,000 votes.
However, he argued that the results released by the commission don’t represent what happened at the various polling units in Lagos State on Saturday, March 18, 2023.
Rhodes-Vivour expressed his discontent in a series of tweets on his Twitter page on Sunday, where he also appreciated Lagosians who came out to exercise their civic duty for the Labour Party despite the intimidation.
He also accused some INEC officials of colluding with the ruling APC to thwart the wishes of Lagos residents which they struggled to express at the polls amid violent threats and attacks, describing the situation as “a slap on the face of democracy.”
He urged his supporters to keep hope alive with a promise that he would continue to fight to ensure that all the votes cast for the Labour Party count in the end.
Rhodes-Vivour’s tweets read: “Firstly, I would like to thank all Lagosians, especially our supporters for coming out to vote yesterday for us. I’m convinced that with you in our corner, a NEW Nigeria is imminent.
“However, I am saddened by the confirmed reports of violence and gross disenfranchisement of voters who only wished to perform their civic duty. Attacks on polling units, voters, and our party agents are totally antithetical to what we stand for & what Lagos truly represents.
“Collusion between the ruling party and electoral officials to return the candidate of the APC is a slap on the face of democracy and everyone who came out to vote for us on Saturday.
“In the light of this, I am convinced beyond any doubt that the results being released by INEC do not represent the wishes of majority of peaceful Lagosians. More so the results from our field agents and situation room indicated that we won this election.
“I am a champion of the people, we are far from done. Do not lose hope, do not waver. This is not over, we have not come this far to accept outright lies, criminality & falsehoods. A fight for FREEDOM is never easily won.
“Every vote cast for me was done in the face of intimidation and risk of personal harm. Every such vote must count. Defending every one of those votes is a sacred duty. I will defend your votes – this is my vow to every LP voter.”
