Datti dismisses Obi, Atiku, says Tinubu must exit

Etim Ekpimah

Yusuf Datti Baba‑Ahmed, former Labour Party vice‑presidential candidate, has rejected Peter Obi, Atiku Abubakar and other opposition figures as credible alternatives to President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 election.

Speaking on the MIC ON podcast, Baba‑Ahmed insisted that Tinubu should step down at the end of his tenure but warned that none of the current challengers could deliver meaningful change.

Pressed on whether his criticism included Obi, his former running mate in 2023, he replied: “Including Peter Obi, I’m sorry to say.” He argued that many of those positioning themselves as alternatives had previously been part of ruling parties and therefore lacked the capacity to chart a new direction for Nigeria.

Baba‑Ahmed defended his own record, stressing that he had never belonged to a ruling party. He recalled advising Obi against joining the African Democratic Congress, a move he said proved misguided when Obi left the party within months.

The remarks underscore the collapse of the partnership that once made Obi and Baba‑Ahmed a formidable force in the 2023 presidential race. Both men have since taken separate paths: Obi now leads the NDC ticket for 2027, while Baba‑Ahmed has joined the Peoples Redemption Party.

His comments come as opposition parties explore the possibility of uniting behind a single candidate to challenge the APC in the January 2027 polls.