By Ade Martins And Ben Kerrigan-
A Nigerian Labour party governorship candidate says he was offered a N20Billion Bribe Offer (an estimated £36.1m) to sell his governorship ticket, according to the Lagos Labour Party Governorship Candidate
Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour revealed how powerful and rich forces in the APC approached him with the lure of the life changing sum of money to give up his party ticket.
He has been hailed by observers and the few remaining respectable people that remain in political circles for standing his ground and refusing to bow to corruption.
”Bribery in Nigeria by politicians can be very huge sums of money, especially where the sums are coming from a somewhat endless source of stolen money” a source anonymously told this publication.
Mr Vivour, who hails from good stuck, said the purpose of the bribe was to discontinue his Governorship ambition to pave way for Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to continue in office. The claim has led the APC to examine itself amid allegations of large briberies to corrupt political outcomes in the country’s elections, coming just after Nigeria’s presidential elections which saw Tinubu declared the winner.
Rival parties of the ruling party, particularly the Labour Party, have alleged corruption on a wide scale towards rigging the Nigerian elections, but have not provided any concrete evidence to support their claims. They say all the evidence is being put together to be presented to the courts.
The revelation by the Lagos Labour Party governorship candidate has been one of the stand out news in the past couple of days in relation to corruption in Nigeria and the dirty tricks played by dishonourable politicians bent on achieving success using crooked means.
Mr Vivour is also facing pressure to reveal who offered him the hefty bribe in a bid to corrupt the elections. He has not mentioned any names, but made it clear the money loot was intended for somebody from a rival party to take his place. The revelation confirms the spread of anti party tactics, in which people from another party, particularly the ruling party. fork out plenty of money to bribe their way into other parties.
On Sunday night it was revealed on Arise News that 12 polling wards in Imo State had no election conducted there, yet produced election results to reflect votes that never took place. Several INEC officials delegated to conduct the elections testified to the sham which occurred in the parts of the country to which they were assigned.
The political situation in Nigeria is in an Almighty mess, with corruption rearing its ugly head in almost every party.
Recent news from the corrupt ridden country, reveals that the PDP party- the party of the current governor of rivers state, Nyesome Wike, at the last minute, has lost its governorship candidate for the state, Siminialayi Fubara, and is now trying to foist him on the Labour Party, replacing previously registered candidate, Beatirce Itubo, who has also bene rumoured to be have been a pace holder all this time, but acting on behalf of the APC behind the scenes.
Although Ms Itubo ahs tried to assure rivers state people that her position as governorship candidate for Rivers State remains authentic, the electoral body, INEC, which normally confirms the official position, have closed their portal and have been unavailable to confirm any facts. Earlier in the week, Labour Chieftain, Fafaa Dan Princewill, told reporters he has been nominated to represent the Labour party as the governorship candidate.
Sources in Nigeria say the entire governorship election is marred with corruption across parties, as various individuals with vested interests muddy the waters.
Representatives of Mr Vivour, a respectable and competent politician whose position as Lagos State candidate is not in dispute, told The Eye Of Media.Com that multiple efforts were made to compromise his position, with the financial offer of bribes getting higher as he refused to yield to their corrupt persuasions.
”They tried everything to bribe Gbadebo to step down, what they did not realise is that he is made of quality stuff, and does not just yield to corrupt overtures. He is a man of substance, and the man to being the best to Lagos people. He is above the self gratifying levels of corruption that rules many of these shameless politicians whohave no loyalty to Nigerians or their party”.
The revelation of the huge bribe , first reported in the Nigerian media a couple of days ago, confirms the spread of anti party tactics, in which people from another party, particularly the ruling party who fork out plenty of money to bribe their way into other parties. The sad state of affairs leaves Nigerian voters in a very uncomfortable and messy situation in which they are often presented with pretenders to choose from, leaving them limited choice from which to choose.
In an ebullient statement reflecting authourity and confidence, the candidate spoke about his rich heritage.
He said:
”I am their worst nightmare; a true Lagosian. The great grandson of an eminent indigenous Lagosian, Justice SB Rhodes, a founding father of both the Nigerian executive and judiciary who served on the executive council of Nigeria with Adeyemo Alakija and together with similarly minded nationalists built Lagos, a credit they and their leader have been trying to steal.
They do not want a true Lagosian to rule Lagos as no true son of Lagos would allow their unchecked rape of Lagos State resources to continue. Why do you think Funso Williams was killed?
”I pledged to take the money (10% of Lagos state IGR) they are siphoning through Alpha Beta and use it to empower 1 million poor Lagosians with interest free loans.
My father Barrister Olawale Rhodes-vivour a distinguished, detribalized true son of Lagos who embodies the Lagos spirit of accommodation fell in love with and married my wonderful mother Nkechi from the Igbo tribe and I Gbadebo (The one who brings the crown) Chinedu (which means ‘God is leading’) Patrick(of noble origin) was born.
The fact I would live up to my names and fulfil my destiny to bring back the crown they have stolen scares them.
”They are scared that the circumstances of my birth (half Yoruba, half Igbo) and my family’s pedigree (Rhodes – Vivour history of unblemished public service) makes it easy for both members of the Igbo and Yoruba tribes in Lagos to support, trust and see me as one of their own.
My soaring acceptance and political profile as a unifier amongst the Yorubas, Igbos, youths and all other tribes in Lagos state scares them so much that they’ve resorted to sponsoring hungry Igbo and Yoruba influencers to go on the social media space to promote an Igbo takeover agenda that does not exist and tag Lagos as a no man’s land in the hopes of linking it to me with an intent to incite my people, the Yoruba against me.
”They are afraid I’ll take the government from them and bring it back for the benefit of the people of Lagos. I refused their bribe offer of 20 billion naira to sell out my ticket and step down from the Governorship race for Sanwo-Olu. They can’t believe I would reject this offer to betray our cause. My refusal is why they’ve tagged me otherwise that I inherited the stubbornness from my mother’s side.
”I supported and coordinated the campaign of Mr. Peter Obi the most competent presidential candidate over a questionable candidate from my tribe.
I have the evidence and I am insisting on going to court with Mr. Peter Obi to prove that the presidential election results figures in Lagos was tampered with and rigged and he Peter Obi won Lagos overwhelmingly with 936,000 votes against their leader’s paltry 155,000 votes which is not up to 25% of the total votes cast in Lagos and despite all their entreaties and the people they’ve sent to beg me using parapoism, I refused to back down.
”I have a plan to rehabilitate the Agberos and thugs they only use for their dirty work and reintegrate them back into the society as responsible people.
I promised to fix the bad roads in all parts of Lagos, from Ikotun, Ijegun, satellite town, Lagos – badagry expressway and Ikorodu to Sagamu express way, irrespective of the predominant tribe living there in order to boost international trade in Lagos.
I pledged to provide affordable housing to all Lagosians and stop the racket that goes on with Government built homes.
I am the biggest threat to their succession plan which will see Seyi Tinubu become governor after Sanwo-Olu”.