The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has responded to former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi’s 2023 running mate, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, after he questioned the ability of leading candidates in the 2027 presidential election to improve Nigeria.
Baba-Ahmed, who is no longer politically aligned with Obi, recently said that none of the major contenders seeking to challenge President Bola Tinubu has what it takes to move the country forward.
The NDC, which has adopted Obi as its presidential candidate for the 2027 election, challenged Baba-Ahmed to explain why he campaigned alongside Obi in 2023 if he believed the former Anambra governor lacked the capacity to improve Nigeria’s economy.
NDC questions Baba-Ahmed’s position
NDC National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, described Baba-Ahmed’s remarks as his personal opinion but questioned the basis of his position.
“That is his personal opinion, which he is constitutionally entitled to. However, the question is: did he run in 2023 with a candidate that he knew had no capacity to improve the nation’s economy?” Director asked.
Obi contested the 2023 presidential election under the Labour Party with Baba-Ahmed as his running mate.
For the 2027 election, Obi is now the NDC presidential candidate, with former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso as his running mate.
What Datti Baba-Ahmed said
Speaking during an appearance on the MicOn Podcast on Saturday, Baba-Ahmed said Nigerians should not expect a major improvement from the politicians currently positioning themselves for the 2027 presidential race.
He included his former running mate, Obi, among those he believes are part of the political establishment responsible for Nigeria’s current challenges.
Baba-Ahmed advised President Tinubu to prepare to leave office but argued that power should not simply be handed to the politicians currently challenging him.
“Because none of them will improve Nigeria,” he said, adding that several of the leading contenders had previously been associated with one political party or another.
The former lawmaker specifically referenced Obi’s previous membership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
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Baba-Ahmed highlights political history
Baba-Ahmed also presented himself as different from politicians who have belonged to ruling parties.
He said he had previously belonged to the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) but left the party before its merger with other political groups that eventually produced the All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to him, the CPC was an opposition party at the time and he never obtained an APC membership card.
Former LP candidate criticises Tinubu
Baba-Ahmed also commented on the controversy surrounding Tinubu’s records in the United States and questioned former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s criticism of the president on the matter.
He further argued that Tinubu should prepare to hand over power after his current tenure rather than seek an extension.
The former Labour Party vice-presidential candidate accused the president of weakening Nigeria’s political parties since taking office.
He also called for a “new Nigeria” and maintained that the country needs a different political direction.
Obi’s 2027 campaign gains momentum
The exchange comes as Obi’s NDC continues to build its political structure ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
With Kwankwaso as his running mate, Obi is seeking to present the NDC ticket as a major alternative in the increasingly crowded presidential contest.
Baba-Ahmed’s latest comments, meanwhile, add another layer to the political relationship between the two men, who jointly contested the 2023 presidential election under the Labour Party.
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