Former vice-presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Senator Datti Baba-Ahmed, has declared his intention to contest the 2027 presidential election, positioning himself as a stabilising figure within the party following the recent departure of its 2023 presidential flagbearer, Peter Obi.

Baba-Ahmed announced his ambition on Wednesday at a rally held at the Labour Party’s national secretariat in Abuja, barely a week after Obi defected to the African Democratic Congress, a move that has intensified debates about the future of the opposition.

Addressing party members and supporters, Baba-Ahmed said his presidential aspiration was long-standing and not influenced by Obi’s political decisions. “I have made myself to contest for the office in 2027. I’m not following anybody’s trajectory or stepping into anybody’s shoes,” he said.

He recalled that his interest in the presidency predates the 2023 election. “Can I please remind you that before His Excellency Governor Peter Obi filed for the presidency, I aspired for the presidency before him? The records are there for you to see,” he added.

The former lawmaker also reflected on his earlier political journey, noting that he once sought the presidential ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party before aligning with Obi in the Labour Party. “In October 2018, I participated in the primaries of the then PDP in Port Harcourt and walked to Obi for his vote, and he smiled at me. What a gentleman he was,” he said.

Baba-Ahmed explained that his decision to serve as Obi’s running mate in 2023 was driven by a desire for national unity. “I saw a rare opportunity for national unity to have elected Peter Obi in 2023. And that is why I decided to flow with it,” he stated.

Responding to questions around religion and ethnicity, Baba-Ahmed insisted that constitutional rights, not identity, should define leadership choices. “Yes, I am a practising Muslim. But I’m a Nigerian, and the constitution allows me to contest. You asked about my ethnicity. Yes, I am a Hausa man, and the Nigerian constitution also allows me to contest. I’m doing this because Nigeria needs help,” he said.

While declaring his interest, Baba-Ahmed stressed that he would respect party and electoral processes. “As a law-abiding citizen and a loyal party member, until the timetable is released by INEC and the leadership of the Labour Party calls for interested aspirants, I will not say anything about it. But remember I told you that Nigerians know the truth,” he said.

Reacting to the declaration, Labour Party National Chairman Julius Abure praised Baba-Ahmed for remaining with the party despite speculation of possible defections following Obi’s exit. He said the move demonstrated the party’s resilience and continuity.

“On the night Peter Obi defected, I received a telephone call from our Vice-Presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Dr. Datti Baba-Ahmed. He said he is not leaving the party because it was the platform upon which he, along with the former candidate, received millions of votes from Nigerians,” Abure said.

Abure added that Baba-Ahmed proposed a gathering of party stakeholders to reaffirm unity. “He asked me to organise an event where members can come together. That is why we are having this gathering here today. The Labour Party is intact, we will not let Nigerians down,” he said.

Baba-Ahmed’s declaration has reshaped internal dynamics within the Labour Party and injected fresh momentum into early manoeuvring ahead of the 2027 presidential election, as opposition parties continue to adjust to shifting alliances.

(The Guardian)

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