Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, the Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate in Lagos during the 2023 elections, has criticized the economic policies of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, describing them as measures that deepen hardship for ordinary Nigerians while benefiting a select few.
In an interview on Politics Today aired by Channels Television on Thursday, Rhodes-Vivour took issue with reforms such as the removal of the petrol subsidy and the floating of the naira. He argued that these policies have significantly worsened the financial burden on citizens.
“The people are experiencing unprecedented hardship. Today, over 70 per cent of people’s income is spent on transportation and food. They have not even started to think about how they can afford accommodation,” he remarked.
Rhodes-Vivour alleged that the administration’s policies disproportionately favor elites, stating: “The only people that seem to be benefitting from these reforms are maybe the bankers, the people in government, and the president’s friends. How many Nigerians can say they are benefitting from any reform right now?”
He also criticized what he termed the government’s “culture of wastefulness and extravagance,” which he said undermines its economic agenda.
Looking ahead, Rhodes-Vivour reaffirmed his commitment to creating a viable political alternative capable of challenging the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and addressing the pressing needs of the masses.
