Tinubu’s 2027 challengers cannot fix Nigeria, including Obi — Datti

Former Labour Party presidential running mate, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, has dismissed the possibility of any of the politicians seeking to unseat President Bola Tinubu in 2027 providing a better alternative for Nigeria.

Baba-Ahmed, who contested alongside Peter Obi on the Labour Party ticket in the 2023 presidential election, made the remarks during an interview on the Mic On Podcast hosted by Seun Okinbaloye.

Responding to a question on the advice he would give Tinubu regarding his administration, the former lawmaker said the President should prepare to leave office but argued that none of his current challengers should succeed him.

“I will simply advise uncle (Tinubu) to please prepare to hand over and move away, but not to the people contesting against him because none of them will improve Nigeria,” he said.

Pressed on whether his assessment covered all opposition politicians challenging Tinubu, Baba-Ahmed maintained his position, arguing that many of them had previously been associated with the political establishment.

“None of that part. Tinubu should leave the stage. All those people contesting against him, too—they were all in bed together at some point or another,” he said.

When asked specifically whether his former running mate, Obi, was included in the assessment, Baba-Ahmed replied: “Including Peter Obi, I’m sorry to say.”

He argued that Obi’s previous membership of the Peoples Democratic Party, which was then the ruling party, was part of the political history informing his position.

Baba-Ahmed said Nigerians needed “a whole new Nigeria” rather than a return to politicians who had previously operated within established political parties.

“Tell me one politician who has never been in a ruling party. Tell me,” he said.

The former Labour Party vice-presidential candidate was also challenged over his own political history and his time in the National Assembly.

In response, Baba-Ahmed said he had never belonged to a ruling party, insisting that his membership of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) was during its period as an opposition party.

“When they merged with APC and came to power, you have my letter of resignation from the then, uh, APC because… even though I was, because I have never had a card, a membership card of APC. Never. I never had a membership card of APC,” he said.

Baba-Ahmed subsequently left the Labour Party for the Peoples Redemption Party, while Obi moved from the Labour Party to the African Democratic Congress before later joining the Nigeria Democratic Congress, which named him its presidential candidate for the 2027 election.

The comments mark a sharp distancing from Obi by his former running mate as the 2027 presidential contest takes shape.