The vice presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Datti Baba-Ahmed, says he did not declare interest in contesting for the presidency in 2027.

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Datti said this on Friday during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief explaining that he only clarified that he was still a member of the LP.

“I never declared to contest the presidency even though there could be a possibility of that happening. I certainly did not declare for the presidency. I simply reiterated my membership of the Labour Party,” the Labour Party chieftain said on the morning show.

“That is all and in the submissions I made, I clearly stated that one will have to wait for the INEC timetable and for the party to make the call for people to indicate their interest.”

He blamed those who employ sensationalism on social media “for putting out wrong narratives to emotional listeners”.

His comment came days after Peter Obi, the Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, teamed up with the coalition African Democratic Congress (ADC).

“Today is an important day; today is the last day of 2025, so we are ending this year with the hope that, in 2026, we will begin a journey of the rescue of our country for proper socio-economic development that will be unifying and inclusive,” Obi said at an event in Enugu where he, and some South-East leaders, declared for the ADC.

Datti and Obi ran on a joint ticket in that poll but the former has remained in the LP and believes the party is big enough to challenge for Nigeria’s exalted seat.

According to the Kaduna-born Datti, Obi’s decision to join the coalition does not change the dynamics of his relationship with the former Anambra State governor.

“I also said if Peter Obi does not get the ticket there in ADC, he is more than welcome back to the Labour Party. I will stand there and nobody will do anything bad to Peter Obi. It is better for him to come back than for him to do another type of agenda,” Datti said.

He asked Obi to submit his resignation letter and membership card to the LP, saying he “never heard him say defecting to ADC. I did not hear that, maybe I missed it but please find out if he said joining the coalition or joining the ADC”. (Channels)

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