Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate for Lagos State, has said he plans to campaign in Yoruba ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
Rhodes-Vivour made the disclosure during an interview with Arise TV, while responding to questions about his ability to speak Yoruba. The issue had featured during the 2023 election campaign, when his language and cultural background attracted public discussion.
The former Labour Party candidate said he has since taken steps to learn the language, explaining that he now has a Yoruba teacher and intends to use the language during his campaign.
He also said language and culture are important when connecting with voters, but stressed that he believes the major issues affecting Lagos residents go beyond ethnicity or language.
Rhodes-Vivour pointed to flooding, housing and traffic as some of the challenges he says residents across the state experience, regardless of their background.
The ADC candidate contested the 2023 Lagos governorship election under the Labour Party and finished second behind the incumbent, Babajide Sanwo-Olu of the All Progressives Congress.
