Ayo Adebanjo, a leader of the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, has endorsed Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, the Labour Party governorship candidate in Lagos.

Mr Adebanjo made this statement when Mr Rhodes-Vivour paid a courtesy visit to his home on Thursday.

The Afenifere leader described Mr Rhodes-Vivour as a true Yoruba blood and appealed to Lagos voters to vote him as the new governor of the state during the governorship elections set to hold on March 11.

Mr Adebanjo asserted, “Lagos people, Gbadebo is your candidate.”

He added that Mr Rhodes-Vivour would be victorious in the Saturday’s poll. “Gbadebo, except they are going to cheat (do any “mago mago”). The result of next Saturday will shock them. Let them bring all the battalions from anywhere they will meet us,” he said. 

The Yoruba elder warned the security operatives and the police to protect the lives of citizens and not just ignore the threats from thugs that plan to disrupt the electoral process.

He asked security operatives to be on standby, warning that the people would be forced to resist any attack from invaders during the voting process. 

“I want to warn the police because, during the general elections, the commissioner of police said they had sent police officers to Lagos, and when they were killing people, they folded their hands,” he said.

“They should not set Lagos on fire, but if you push anybody to the wall, they will resist, let the security operatives beware,” he added. 

Speaking in Yoruba, Mr Adebanjo said he is aware of Mr Rhodes-Vivour’s family background while assuring voters that his preferred candidate is a son of the land.

“Lagos people, Gbadebo is your candidate. You have no other candidate in Lagos except Gbadebo. We know his father and mother. We know his relatives in Lagos. There are some candidates that cannot point to their father’s house in Lagos,” Mr Adebanjo said in Yoruba.