The 2023 vice-presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Datti Baba-Ahmed, has clarified his recent comments regarding his political alliances ahead of the 2027 general elections, stating he will not campaign against President Bola Tinubu to “unnecessarily promote” Peter Obi or Atiku Abubakar.
Speaking in a recent interview, Baba-Ahmed explained that his position is rooted in fairness.
“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,” he stated. “Because we have to be fair in life, and that’s what I stand for.”
Despite his current stance, Baba-Ahmed insisted his relationship with his former running mate, Peter Obi, remains strong, while addressing rumors of a political rift.
“It is solid between me and Peter Obi. What I have done to support Peter Obi, I can repeat it, but his people are so quickly forgetful, and I can beat my chest,” he declared.
“Now, by my nature, I don’t like to do something good for somebody and come and continue repeating it. It’s not good to do that. Peter Obi knows I stood for him. I still stand by him.”
However, the former vice-presidential candidate expressed some disappointment over Obi’s recent political maneuvers. “And it is regretful, those moves he made, but it is his choice,” he noted.
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Addressing speculations that Obi had abandoned him politically, Baba-Ahmed strongly denied the claim. “Now they keep saying that he dropped me. He didn’t drop me.”
Baba-Ahmed revealed that earlier this year, he confronted Obi regarding his political strategy. “On the 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. But because I said, including him, does not mean that we’re not together.”
He further clarified that his recent statement suggesting that the current opposition leaders cannot fix Nigeria was made to ensure an even playing field.
“When I said they cannot fix Nigeria, again, it is to equate and introduce fairness,” he explained. “I don’t want to unduly disadvantage a key opponent. Who’s the key opponent? The major opponent is the Tinubu-Shettima ticket, which I’m not there; or the Atiku ticket, which I’m not there.”
“One has to be fair in life. And that’s what happened,” Baba-Ahmed concluded.
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