The Labour Party candidate for governor in Lagos state, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour (GRV), has rejected the election results collated by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). After the incumbent governor, Sanwo-Olu, was announced as leading in the state after clearing 17 out of 20 local government areas, GRV released a statement on social media. In a series of tweets, the Labour Party candidate claimed that the All Progressives Congress (APC) used thugs to intimidate his supporters and that results from his situation room confirmed that he won.
GRV began his statement by thanking all Lagosians, especially his supporters, for coming out to vote for his party. He expressed his conviction that a new Nigeria is imminent with the support of his voters. However, he also expressed his sadness at the confirmed reports of violence and gross disenfranchisement of voters who only wished to perform their civic duty.
According to GRV, the attacks on polling units, voters, and party agents were totally antithetical to what they stand for and what Lagos truly represents. He alleged that there was collusion between the ruling party and electoral officials to return the candidate of the APC, which he described as a slap on the face of democracy and everyone who came out to vote for his party on Saturday.
GRV went on to state that he was convinced beyond any doubt that the results being released by INEC did not represent the wishes of the majority of peaceful Lagosians. He claimed that the results from their field agents and situation room indicated that his party won the election. As a champion of the people, he said that they were far from done and that they should not lose hope or waver. He stated that this was not over, and that they had not come this far to accept outright lies, criminality, and falsehoods.
GRV also emphasized that a fight for freedom is never easily won and that every vote cast for him was done in the face of intimidation and risk of personal harm. He stated that every such vote must count and that defending every one of those votes was a sacred duty. He vowed to defend the votes of every LP voter, promising to remain a champion of the people.