Taiwo Popoola
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Leaders of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, over the weekend, received defectors in the Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State.Prominent among those who joined the party was media entrepreneur and former Youth Party chairmanship aspirant, Ayodele Adio, who arrived with scores of supporters.The event took place in Lekki Phase 1, where Adio and his followers were formally inducted into the ADC.Although the Lagos State Chairman of the party, George Ashiru, was absent, the defectors were officially received by the ADC’s 2023 Lagos Central senatorial candidate, Yomi Idowu, alongside the Eti-Osa Local Government Chairman of the party, Elizabeth Ekanem.Acting on behalf of the state leadership, they administered the oath of allegiance to the new members.Also present at the ceremony was Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, the Labour Party’s 2023 governorship candidate in Lagos, who defected to the ADC in 2025.In her remarks, Mrs Ekanem described the ADC as a citizen-focused platform determined to drive national rebirth and inclusive development.“ADC in Eti-Osa is positioning itself to amplify the voices of today’s citizens and future generations, while playing a decisive role in reshaping Nigeria ahead of 2027,” she said, noting that the party was ready to confront the country’s economic, educational and humanitarian challenges.Speaking at the event, Rhodes-Vivour stressed the importance of opposition unity, describing it as essential for meaningful political change.“If we are serious about offering Nigerians a credible alternative, the opposition must come together,” he said. “Without unity, elections are lost before they are fought. Ayodele Adio’s grassroots engagement speaks volumes, and we are excited about the value he brings to the ADC.”Mr Idowu, in his address, praised Adio as a courageous advocate for community development, saying his decision to join the ADC would strengthen the party’s ambition in Lagos and beyond.He also suggested that attempts to disrupt the gathering were evidence of the ADC’s growing influence in the state.Leading the defectors, Adio used the platform to criticise successive Lagos administrations, accusing them of abandoning the core ideals of public service in favour of narrow interests.“Almost 50 years after former governor Lateef Jakande warned about poverty living under our flyovers, that warning has become the lived experience of millions of Lagos residents,” he said.“While a small elite moves comfortably in tinted vehicles, the majority contend daily with waste-filled streets, open drains and housing that is far beyond their reach.”He argued that rising rents, poor sanitation and declining public health conditions had left many young people vulnerable to despair, substance abuse and gambling.“Governance should be about the greatest good for the greatest number, but that responsibility has been neglected in Lagos,” Adio said, explaining that his decision to join the ADC was driven by a desire to promote “a politics that treats every child as equally important and leaders as servants, not rulers.”He then formally declared his membership of the ADC and was duly sworn in alongside his supporters.
