By Isaac Mission
Former Labour Party presidential running mate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, has questioned the ability of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi to bring the kind of transformation Nigeria requires.
Baba-Ahmed, who was Obi’s running mate in the 2023 presidential election, reportedly made the assessment during a recent media interview, where he criticised the political records and choices of both opposition figures.
He argued that the long-standing involvement of Atiku and Obi in Nigeria’s major political parties had made it difficult for them to present themselves as a genuine alternative to the political establishment.
According to him, their political histories and alliances raise questions about their ability to provide a significant departure from the system they have previously operated within.
Baba-Ahmed was particularly critical of Obi’s movement across political platforms, suggesting that the former Anambra governor’s political decisions reflected questionable judgement.
His comments come despite their joint participation in the 2023 presidential election, when Baba-Ahmed served as Obi’s running mate under the Labour Party.
Since the disputed 2023 presidential election, Baba-Ahmed has remained an outspoken commentator on Nigerian politics, frequently using television and other broadcast platforms to express his views on political developments.
He had previously been highly critical of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu following the 2023 election. However, his position on some aspects of the Tinubu administration appears to have become less hostile as the government implemented several economic reforms.
While Baba-Ahmed has continued to express reservations about Tinubu’s administration, his recent comments suggest that he believes the current president has performed better in some areas than either Atiku or Obi would have done if elected.
The former vice-presidential candidate has also since moved politically away from the Labour Party and is now associated with the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP).
His latest assessment adds to the growing debate within opposition circles over the suitability and political records of the leading figures positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 general elections.