Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar.
Former Labour Party vice-presidential candidate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, has explained his recent statement that Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar lack the capacity to fix Nigeria if elected president in 2027.
Baba-Ahmed said his comments were made in the interest of fairness, arguing that he did not want to give any of President Bola Tinubu’s major challengers an undue advantage by asking the president to step down.
He made the clarification while speaking on the Naija Unfiltered Podcast, following criticism over his recent interview with Seun Okinbaloye.
In the earlier interview, Baba-Ahmed had said Tinubu should step aside and that none of those seeking to replace him in 2027 had the capacity to improve Nigeria.
When asked specifically if his assessment included Obi, his former running mate, he replied, “Yes, including Peter Obi.”
‘I didn’t want to disadvantage Tinubu’
Explaining his controversial assessment of Obi and Atiku, Baba-Ahmed said he was trying to maintain what he considered a level playing field among the major contenders.
“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.
He explained that asking Tinubu to hand over while promoting the opposition candidates would amount to unfairly favouring 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.
He added that his response to Okinbaloye’s question was not the issue he initially went to discuss but was brought up during the interview.
“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.
‘I still stand by Obi’
Baba-Ahmed also rejected suggestions that his controversial remark meant he had withdrawn his support for Obi, saying he remained appreciative of their political history.
“What I have done to support Peter Obi, I can repeat it,” he said.
“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 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,” Baba-Ahmed said.
“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 further expressed respect for Atiku, describing the former vice-president as a father figure and saying his comments were not intended to undermine him.
“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.
