Peter Obi, Others Challenging Tinubu Cannot Transform Nigeria — Datti Baba-Ahmed

Peter Obi, Others Challenging Tinubu Cannot Transform Nigeria — Datti Baba-Ahmed

Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, the 2023 Labour Party vice-presidential candidate, has said that none of the politicians positioning themselves to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election can bring the kind of transformation Nigeria needs, including his former running mate, Peter Obi.

Baba-Ahmed made the statement during an appearance on the Mic On Podcast, where he discussed the evolving political landscape ahead of the 2027 general election, his political relationship with Obi and the prospects of the opposition challenging the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Speaking about the expected presidential contest, Baba-Ahmed said Tinubu should prepare to leave office but argued that Nigerians should not expect a major improvement from those currently seeking to replace 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.

When he was asked whether his assessment applied to all the major opposition figures, Baba-Ahmed maintained that position.

“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.

The host subsequently asked him directly whether Peter Obi was also included among those he believed could not improve the country.

Baba-Ahmed responded: “Including Peter Obi, I’m sorry to say.”

The statement is significant because Baba-Ahmed and Obi were political allies during the 2023 presidential election, when they jointly contested the election on the Labour Party platform.

Obi emerged as the Labour Party’s presidential candidate, while Baba-Ahmed served as his running mate. Their campaign was built largely around promises of political change, institutional reform and improved governance.

However, their political paths have since diverged as preparations for the 2027 election intensify.

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Baba-Ahmed is now a member of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), while Obi has pursued a different opposition platform. The development has effectively ended speculation that Baba-Ahmed would automatically follow Obi into whichever political arrangement he chose for 2027.

Baba-Ahmed had earlier explained that his decision to become Obi’s running mate in 2023 was driven largely by what he described as sympathy for the former Anambra State governor and concern about the political circumstances surrounding Obi at the time.

In an earlier interview with Symfoni, Baba-Ahmed said Obi had approached three prominent politicians in 2022 in an attempt to build a political alliance, but they allegedly declined to work with him.

According to Baba-Ahmed, their refusal disappointed him because he believed Obi’s political project represented an opportunity for Nigeria to pursue a different direction.

“People don’t understand between me and Peter Obi, I have a great deal of sympathy for him. And this sympathy was at the core of our relationship,” he said.

Baba-Ahmed said he would have preferred for one of the politicians approached by Obi to join him but eventually decided to volunteer himself for the project.

“When he approached three major politicians in 2022 they avoided him. I would have been glad if in 2022 one of them went with Peter Obi. They all avoided him. I felt bad for him and for Nigeria as a nation,” he said.

He said he understood that the politicians had their reasons for declining to work with Obi but chose not to disclose their identities or the circumstances surrounding their decisions.

Despite their close political partnership during the 2023 election, Baba-Ahmed has repeatedly rejected the suggestion that his political future is tied to Obi.

He particularly dismissed speculation that he would follow Obi into a new political party or coalition ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

“They thought I would follow Peter Obi to ADC, but I had given enough sympathy then,” Baba-Ahmed said.

“Obi does not own me. I own my independence.”

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Baba-Ahmed has also claimed that he warned Obi against some of the political decisions he later made while preparing for the 2027 election.

According to him, he met Obi in January 2024 at the John Wilson Hotel and advised him to engage influential politicians across different regions, including former Kano State governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai.

Baba-Ahmed argued that any serious opposition strategy for 2027 would require broader political engagement and stronger grassroots structures rather than relying solely on the popularity of individual candidates.

“At that time, I told him there are key figures like Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and Nasir El-Rufai. I suggested he should engage them,” he said.

He also criticised politicians who wait until an election year before attempting to build alliances, insisting that political movements require years of planning and organisation.

“If in 2024 you cannot plan for 2027, then I cannot continue to be with you,” Baba-Ahmed said.

His comments came amid increasing efforts by opposition politicians to build a coalition capable of challenging the APC and President Tinubu in 2027.

Baba-Ahmed has also questioned the ability of some proposed opposition combinations to secure sufficient support across Nigeria’s regions.

In an earlier discussion on the political outlook, he expressed doubts about whether northern voters would automatically support an opposition ticket involving Obi and Kwankwaso, citing the importance of regional influence, political structures, grassroots mobilisation and individual political networks.

“It is very unlikely that the North will rally around OK. That is my personal opinion,” he said.

Baba-Ahmed argued that political influence at the grassroots level would remain a major factor in the 2027 contest, particularly in northern Nigeria.

He cited Kwankwaso’s political influence in Kano as an example of the kind of structure that could significantly affect an opposition coalition’s electoral prospects.

“The local government is almost his state; the state is almost his region,” Baba-Ahmed said while discussing Kwankwaso’s political strength.

He also questioned how presidential tickets could reconcile calls for generational change with the age, political experience and backgrounds of the individuals being considered for top positions.

“You are looking for new blood, a new generation, yet you may have a vice-presidential figure who is older in age, education, political profile, and experience,” he said.

Baba-Ahmed’s latest criticism of Obi comes at a time when the 2027 political realignment is becoming increasingly intense, with opposition figures seeking alliances that could challenge the APC’s control of the presidency.

While Obi remains one of the most prominent opposition politicians from the 2023 election, Baba-Ahmed’s comments suggest that their once-close political relationship has evolved considerably.

The former Labour Party vice-presidential candidate has also criticised aspects of Nigeria’s economic management under successive administrations.

Speaking about the fuel subsidy removal and foreign exchange reforms under Tinubu, Baba-Ahmed argued that economic policies would struggle to achieve sustainable results if corruption remained entrenched within government.

“Whatever policy, however beautiful it is you bring, that is laced with corruption, it will never work,” he said.

He was also sharply critical of the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, which he described as one of the most corrupt administrations in the country’s history.

Baba-Ahmed linked what he regarded as failures in governance to corruption and questioned whether major policy reforms could succeed without stronger institutions and accountability.

His comments have added another layer to the political debate ahead of 2027, particularly because of his previous role alongside Obi and his subsequent decision to pursue an independent political path.

The 2027 presidential election is expected to be heavily contested, with the APC seeking to retain power and opposition politicians attempting to consolidate their various political structures into a formidable alternative.

For Baba-Ahmed, however, the central issue goes beyond defeating Tinubu at the polls.

His latest position is that changing the occupant of the presidency alone will not necessarily change Nigeria, a view he says applies equally to Obi and other politicians seeking to replace the incumbent.

The comments are likely to attract further reactions from supporters of Obi and other opposition figures as political parties and their candidates continue preparations for the 2027 general election.

Peter Obi, Others Challenging Tinubu Cannot Transform Nigeria — Datti Baba-Ahmed