Former Labour Party vice-presidential candidate Datti Baba-Ahmed has clarified his recent remarks questioning the leadership capacity of major opposition figures Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar, insisting the comments were driven by a desire for fairness rather than a withdrawal of support.
In an earlier interview, Baba-Ahmed stated that none of the presidential contenders challenging President Bola Tinubu possessed the capacity to meaningfully improve Nigeria. Speaking on the Naija Unfiltered podcast, he expanded on the context, explaining that he deliberately avoided calling on Tinubu to step aside in a way that would give an unfair advantage to either the Atiku or Obi tickets.
“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 stressed that asking the president to hand over power while simultaneously elevating opposition candidates would tilt the playing field. “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,” he added.
He noted that the topic was not the original focus of his discussion with host Seun Okinbaloye but was raised and pressed during the interview, including references to Peter Obi.
Addressing speculation that his remarks signalled a break with Obi, Baba-Ahmed firmly rejected the idea. “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 dismissed claims that Obi had “dropped” him, revealing that he had privately raised concerns about the former Anambra governor’s political strategy as early 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 recounted.
Turning to Atiku Abubakar, the former Labour Party running mate expressed deep personal respect. “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 stated, emphasising that his comments were never intended to undermine the former vice-president.
Baba-Ahmed’s clarification comes amid growing conversations about the shape of the 2027 presidential race and the positioning of key opposition figures against the Tinubu administration.
