The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has urged the African Democratic Congress governorship candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, to demonstrate a deeper understanding of the state beyond his efforts to learn Yoruba ahead of the 2027 election.
The APC Publicity Secretary, Seye Oladejo, made the remarks on Tuesday while reacting to Rhodes-Vivour’s disclosure that he had engaged a Yoruba teacher and had begun using the language during his campaign activities.
Rhodes-Vivour spoke about his language lessons during an interview on Arise TV, where he acknowledged the importance of understanding the language and culture of Lagos. He, however, maintained that his main concern remained the challenges affecting residents across the state.
Oladejo welcomed the development but argued that speaking Yoruba should be accompanied by a broader understanding of Lagos, its people and its institutions.
“Language is one of the gateways to understanding people. It carries history, humour, values, idioms, traditions and ways of seeing the world,” Oladejo said.
He encouraged the ADC candidate to go beyond language lessons by studying the history and culture of Lagos, as well as the workings of its institutions and the challenges confronting governance in the state.
The APC spokesman also responded to Rhodes-Vivour’s criticism of the party’s governorship candidate, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, saying such criticism did not erase Hamzat’s years of experience in public service.
Oladejo pointed to Hamzat’s previous roles as a commissioner and deputy governor, alongside his professional background, as part of his experience in public administration.
“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. But to suggest that experience has no value simply because Lagos still has challenges is a rather curious argument,” he said.
On the issue of traffic congestion, which Rhodes-Vivour identified as one of the problems facing Lagos, Oladejo challenged the ADC candidate to provide details of how his administration would tackle the situation if elected.
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He asked Rhodes-Vivour to explain his plans for road infrastructure, funding, mass transportation, implementation, timelines and measurable targets.
“Lagos is not a village road network. It is one of Africa’s largest urban and economic centres, with enormous population pressure, intense commercial activity and rapidly expanding transportation demands,” Oladejo said.
During the Arise TV interview, Rhodes-Vivour identified flooding, housing and traffic congestion among the major concerns facing Lagos residents. He also stressed that the challenges affected residents regardless of their ethnic or linguistic backgrounds.
The ADC candidate demonstrated his growing familiarity with Yoruba during the interview by responding, “Mo ki gbogbo yin,” after the presenter greeted him in the language.
Oladejo said the 2027 election should focus on the candidates’ understanding of Lagos and their ability to translate campaign promises into practical policies.
“Lagos is not governed by Instagram posts, television appearances or campaign slogans,” he said, adding that effective governance required institutions, budgets, planning, infrastructure, security coordination, transportation systems and day-to-day administrative decisions.
The APC spokesman also urged Rhodes-Vivour to present his own record, plans and capacity to voters rather than concentrating heavily on Hamzat.
“2027 is not an audition for television. It is a conversation about the future of Lagos,” Oladejo said.