THE Labour Party’s Vice-Presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, Senator Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, has formally declared his intention to contest the presidency in 2027, adding a new layer to the evolving political realignments within Nigeria’s opposition space.
News Point Nigeria reports that Baba-Ahmed made the declaration on Wednesday at a rally held at the Labour Party’s national secretariat in Abuja, where party members, supporters and stakeholders gathered amid heightened uncertainty following recent defections and internal debates.
His announcement comes barely one week after the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, announced his departure from the Labour Party for the African Democratic Congress (ADC), a move that has sparked intense discussion about the future of the party and the direction of the opposition ahead of the next general election.
Addressing supporters at the event, Baba-Ahmed said his decision to seek the presidency was neither reactionary nor influenced by Obi’s political choices, insisting that his ambition predates the 2023 election.
“I have made myself available to contest for the office in 2027,” he said. “I am not following anybody’s trajectory or stepping into anybody’s shoes.”
The former lawmaker reminded party members that he had nursed presidential ambitions long before the 2023 polls.
“Can I please remind you that before His Excellency Governor Peter Obi filed for the presidency, I aspired to be president before him? The records are there for you to see,” he said.
Baba-Ahmed recalled his earlier attempt to secure his party’s presidential ticket, noting that he had previously contested in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries before aligning with Obi on the Labour Party platform.
“In October 2018, I participated in the PDP primaries in Port Harcourt, and I walked to Obi for his vote, and he smiled at me. What a gentleman he was,” he said.
He explained that his decision to step aside and run as Obi’s deputy in 2023 was driven by a belief in national unity and the opportunity to offer Nigerians an alternative leadership.
“When I spoke earlier, I said I saw a rare opportunity for national unity in the election of Peter Obi in 2023. That was why I decided to flow with it,” he added.
Addressing concerns often raised around religion and ethnicity in Nigerian politics, Baba-Ahmed said the constitution guarantees every qualified citizen the right to seek elective office.
“Yes, I am a practising Muslim. But I am a Nigerian, and the constitution allows me to contest,” he said. “You asked about my ethnicity. Yes, I am a Hausa man, and the Nigerian constitution also allows me to contest. I am doing this because Nigeria needs help.”
However, he stressed that while he had made his intention public, he would abide by party rules and the electoral timetable.
“As a law-abiding citizen and a loyal party member, until INEC releases the timetable and the Labour Party formally calls for interested aspirants, I will not go further than this,” he said. “But remember, Nigerians know the truth.”
Reacting to the declaration, the National Chairman of the Labour Party, Julius Abure, praised Baba-Ahmed for remaining with the party despite widespread speculation that he might defect following Obi’s exit.
Abure said the move showed that the Labour Party remained intact and viable, noting that other key figures, including Abia State Governor Alex Otti, had also chosen to stay.
“Only recently, Governor Alex Otti told the world that he joined the Labour Party before Peter Obi did, and that he was not defecting,” Abure said.
He revealed that Baba-Ahmed personally contacted him on the night Obi announced his defection, reaffirming his loyalty to the party.
“He told me clearly that he was not leaving the Labour Party, which was the platform that gave him and our former candidate over 10 million votes, later reduced to six million. We all know what happened,” Abure said.
According to the party chairman, Baba-Ahmed also suggested convening a meeting of party leaders and members to reinforce unity and confidence within the party.
“He even offered to foot the bill for a meeting at the Transcorp Hilton with senior members,” Abure said. “But I suggested we hold it here at the party secretariat and invite our members, artisans and ordinary Nigerians who truly own the party, and he agreed.”
Abure concluded by assuring supporters that the Labour Party remained united and committed to providing Nigerians with a credible alternative.
“The Labour Party is intact. We will not let Nigerians down. We will remain together and offer a genuine alternative,” he said.