Datti Baba-Ahmed has explained his comments on Peter Obi and Atiku, saying political fairness influenced his assessment of the 2027 presidential contenders.
Former Labour Party vice-presidential candidate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, has pushed back against interpretations of his recent comments about Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar, saying his remarks were not intended to promote President Bola Tinubu or discredit his former political associates.
Baba-Ahmed’s comments followed criticism that greeted his recent assessment of the leading politicians who could be involved in Nigeria’s 2027 presidential race.
The former Labour Party chieftain had said President Tinubu should leave office but, at the same time, argued that those seeking to take over from him had not demonstrated the capacity required to fix the country’s problems.
His position became more controversial when he was asked whether his criticism also extended to Obi, with whom he jointly contested the 2023 presidential election.
“Yes, including Peter Obi,” Baba-Ahmed replied.
The statement immediately attracted attention because of the political history between both men.
Obi and Baba-Ahmed were the Labour Party’s presidential and vice-presidential candidates in the 2023 election and campaigned together across the country.
Speaking subsequently on the Naija Unfiltered Podcast, Baba-Ahmed explained that his comments should not be viewed as a sudden repudiation of Obi or an attempt to campaign for the incumbent administration.
Instead, he said he was concerned about maintaining what he regarded as a fair position as politicians begin preparing for another presidential contest.
According to him, he would not use criticism of Tinubu as an opportunity to deliberately strengthen the political chances of another candidate.
“In the way 2027 elections are, I will not 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.
Baba-Ahmed said the political calculations surrounding the next election made it necessary for him to be careful about how he assessed the various contenders.
He explained that if he called on Tinubu to step aside while simultaneously presenting Atiku or Obi as the obvious solution to Nigeria’s challenges, he could be seen as giving those candidates an unfair advantage.
“I don’t want to unduly disadvantage a key opponent,” he said.
He identified the Tinubu-Shettima ticket as a major political force and noted that Atiku and Obi could also be associated with competing political arrangements.
For Baba-Ahmed, taking sides by attacking one camp while openly elevating another would conflict with the principle of fairness he said he believes in.
Obi question was raised during interview
The former vice-presidential candidate further disclosed that the issue of Obi’s capacity was not the original subject he intended to discuss during his interview with Seun Okinbaloye.
According to him, the interviewer brought up the issue and continued pressing him for a direct answer on whether his assessment also covered his former running mate.
“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,” Baba-Ahmed explained.
The clarification comes amid growing attention to the political relationship between Baba-Ahmed and Obi ahead of 2027.
While the two men remain closely linked by their 2023 campaign, Baba-Ahmed has indicated that he has reservations about some of the decisions Obi has made since the election.
Nevertheless, he rejected the impression that he had disowned Obi politically.
‘I still stand by Peter Obi’
Baba-Ahmed insisted that his previous support for Obi was not something he regretted and could be repeated if necessary.
“What I have done to support Peter Obi, I can repeat it,” he said.
He also maintained that Obi was fully aware of the commitment he showed during their joint campaign.
“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,” Baba-Ahmed added.
His comments suggest that his criticism of Obi’s political direction does not necessarily amount to a rejection of their shared political history.
Rather, Baba-Ahmed appears to be separating his personal respect for Obi from his present assessment of whether the former Anambra State governor has provided a sufficiently convincing political plan for another presidential bid.
Baba-Ahmed denies Obi ‘dropped’ him
The former Labour Party vice-presidential candidate also took issue with claims that Obi abandoned him after the 2023 presidential election.
Baba-Ahmed said the description was inaccurate, arguing that he had raised concerns about Obi’s political direction long before the current debate over the 2027 election.
“Now they keep saying that he dropped me. He didn’t drop me,” he stated.
He recalled a conversation with Obi in January 2024, several months after their presidential campaign, during which he said he urged his former running mate to develop a clear political strategy.
“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 recalled.
By making the disclosure, he appeared to suggest that the differences between them should not simply be attributed to Obi deciding to abandon his former running mate.
Instead, he indicated that disagreements over political planning and direction had existed for some time.
Atiku remains a respected figure
Baba-Ahmed also clarified his position concerning Atiku, stressing that his comments about the former vice-president were not borne out of personal animosity.
He spoke warmly about his relationship with Atiku and described the former vice-president in almost paternal terms.
“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.
The remark was significant given Atiku’s longstanding role in Nigerian politics and his position as one of the prominent figures who could feature in discussions surrounding the 2027 presidential election.
Baba-Ahmed’s assessment of Atiku’s capacity, therefore, appears to be based on his political judgment rather than a personal dispute.
Political positions begin to shift ahead of 2027
The comments come as Nigerian politicians and political groups gradually begin positioning themselves for the next general election.
The 2027 presidential contest is expected to produce new alliances, fresh political calculations and, in some cases, disagreements among individuals who previously worked together.
Baba-Ahmed’s case is particularly noteworthy because of his involvement in the 2023 Labour Party presidential campaign.
His latest comments show that while he continues to acknowledge the support he gave Obi and maintains respect for Atiku, he is not prepared to automatically endorse either politician as the answer to Nigeria’s problems.
At the same time, his criticism of the opposition figures does not amount to an endorsement of Tinubu, as he specifically maintained that he did not want to unfairly promote one contender simply by criticising another.
His argument is that Nigerians should judge all the major contenders on their ability, plans and readiness to govern rather than assume that opposition to the incumbent automatically makes another politician the preferred alternative.
With political activity expected to intensify as the 2027 election approaches, Baba-Ahmed’s intervention adds another layer to the debate over who is capable of leading Nigeria and what should determine voters’ choices at the next presidential poll.
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