None of Tinubu’s Opponents Can Improve Nigeria – Datti Baba-Ahmed

Former Labour Party vice-presidential candidate Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed has said none of the politicians challenging President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 election can improve Nigeria, including his former running mate, Peter Obi.

Baba-Ahmed made the remarks in an interview on the Mic On Podcast, hosted by Seun Okinbaloye and posted on Saturday.

He was responding to a question about the advice he would give Tinubu regarding his leadership of the country.

The former lawmaker said Tinubu should prepare to leave office but should not hand over power to any of the politicians currently challenging 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.

Asked to clarify whether he was referring to all the opposition candidates, Baba-Ahmed said, “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.”

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When asked whether he was referring to Peter Obi, Baba-Ahmed replied, “Including Peter Obi, I’m sorry to say.”

Baba-Ahmed noted that Obi had previously been a member of the Peoples Democratic Party when it was the ruling party, while arguing that he was advocating for “a whole new Nigeria”.

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

When Okinbaloye pointed out that Baba-Ahmed had also been involved in politics and served in the National Assembly, the former lawmaker said he had never belonged to a ruling party.

“I have never been in a ruling party. While I was in CPC, CPC was the leading opposition party, even above ANPP then. 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.

He said his position was not based solely on party affiliation but also on the political history of those seeking to challenge Tinubu.

Baba-Ahmed and Obi were the Labour Party’s presidential and vice-presidential candidates respectively in the 2023 election.

Baba-Ahmed later left the Labour Party for the Peoples Redemption Party.

Obi, meanwhile, defected to the African Democratic Congress before joining the Nigeria Democratic Congress, which named him its presidential candidate for the 2027 election.