A Week After Obi’s Exit: Former Running-mate, Datti Baba-Ahmed Declares 2027 Presidential Ambition
- By Metropolix ~
- January 8, 2026 --
- 0 Comment
Datti Baba-Ahmed, vice-presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 elections, has declared his intention to contest the presidency in 2027.
Baba-Ahmed, who was running mate to Peter Obi, made the announcement at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja on Wednesday.
His declaration comes a week after Obi exited the LP for the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Addressing party members and supporters, Baba-Ahmed said his ambition was independent of Obi’s political decisions, adding that his presidential aspiration predates the 2023 elections.
“I have made myself to contest for the office in 2027. I’m not following anybody’s trajectory or stepping into anybody’s shoes,” PUNCH quoted Baba-Ahmed as saying.
“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.”
The former lawmaker recalled his previous attempt to secure his party’s presidential ticket, noting that he contested the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries years before joining Obi in the LP.
“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,” Baba-Ahmed said.
“If you heard me well in what I just submitted, 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.”
Addressing concerns over religion and ethnicity, Baba-Ahmed insisted that Nigeria’s constitution guarantees every qualified citizen the right to contest elective office.
“Yes, I am a practising Muslim. But I’m a Nigerian, and the constitution allows me to contest. You asked about my ethnicity,” he said.
”Yes, I am a Hausa man, and the Nigerian constitution also allows me to contest. I’m doing this because Nigeria needs help.
“However, 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.”
Reacting to Baba-Ahmed’s declaration, Julius Abure, LP factional national chairman, commended him for remaining in the party despite speculation that he might follow Obi’s path.
Abure said the development demonstrated that the LP remained intact, adding that several key figures, including Alex Otti, governor of Abia state, had also stayed.
“Only recently, the Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, told the world that he joined the party before Peter Obi did – this is true. Otti also said he was not going to defect to Peter Obi,” he said.
“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 10 million votes from Nigerians, which was reduced to 6 million votes. We all know what happened.”
Abure also said Baba-Ahmed personally suggested a meeting of party leaders and members to reaffirm unity within the party.
“In fact, he asked me to organise an event where members can come together. He first suggested that we meet at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel with a few senior members that he would foot the bill,” Abure said.
“But I suggested that we hold the event here at the party secretariat and invite our members, artisans and ordinary people who truly own the party, and he agreed. That is why we are having this gathering here today.
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