2027: Why I won’t promote Obi, Atiku against Tinubu— Datti Baba Ahmed

Former Labour Party vice-presidential candidate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, has clarified his recent comments on the leadership capacity of presidential hopefuls Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar.

Naija News reports that Baba-Ahmed had earlier said that none of the presidential candidates contesting against President Bola Tinubu has the capacity to improve Nigeria.

Speaking on the Naija Unfiltered Podcast, he explained that the statement was made in the interest of fairness and not to give any of Tinubu’s major challengers an undue advantage.

“I don’t want to disadvantage Uncle (Tinubu). I will not disadvantage him to unnecessarily promote Baba Atiku and Peter Obi and others, because we have to be fair in life, and that’s what I stand for,” he said.

He argued that calling on Tinubu to step down while promoting opposition candidates would unfairly favour some contenders over others.

“I don’t want to unduly disadvantage a key opponent. Who is the key opponent? The major opponent, Tinubu, Shettima ticket, and promote the Atiku ticket, which I’m not there, or the Obi ticket that I’m not there. One has to be fair in life, and that’s what happened,” Baba-Ahmed said.

‘I Still Stand by Peter Obi’
Baba-Ahmed rejected suggestions that his remarks meant he had withdrawn support for Obi, insisting he remained appreciative of their political history.

“What I have done to support Peter Obi, I can repeat it. Peter Obi knows I stood for him. I still stand by him, and it is regretful those moves he made. But it is his choice,” he said.

He also denied claims that Obi had “dropped” him, saying he had raised concerns about Obi’s political plans as far back as January 2024.

“Now they keep saying that he dropped me. He didn’t drop me. On 31st of January, 2024, I told him, sir, I need you to have a plan, and you don’t have it. At least I haven’t heard from you,” Baba-Ahmed said.

He noted that the topic came up during the podcast interview and was not what he originally went to discuss.
“And it was not what I went to discuss with Seun, but Seun found a way of bringing that topic and insisting, including Peter Obi,” he said.

‘Atiku is Like a Father Figure to Me’
The former LP chieftain also expressed respect for Atiku, saying his comments were not intended to undermine the former vice-president.

“Between me and Atiku, it’s much, much, much respect. In fact, I was able to remind him that I personally see you as like a father figure,” he said.