Obi: Political differences won’t end my bond with Datti

Abimbola Joseph

Peter Obi has said his political differences with his former running mate, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, will not destroy their relationship, describing him as his brother and ally.

Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress ahead of the 2027 election, said the disagreements between them were political and should not be allowed to turn them into enemies.

He spoke in response to recent comments by Baba-Ahmed, who reportedly questioned whether any of the major opposition figures seeking to unseat President Bola Tinubu could rescue Nigeria from its deep-rooted problems.

In a statement by Obi’s media office spokesperson, Idris Zekeri, the former Anambra State governor said he did not believe Baba-Ahmed intended to describe him as incapable of improving the country.

“My relationship with him extends beyond politics, and I do not believe he intended to describe me as unfit,” Obi said.

Obi and Baba-Ahmed were the Labour Party’s presidential and vice-presidential candidates respectively in the 2023 election.

While acknowledging that his former running mate might now hold different political views, Obi said he respected Baba-Ahmed’s right to his opinions and convictions.

He recalled their shared political journey and said their bond should survive their differences.

“Despite everything that has been said, he remains my brother and my ally,” Obi said, adding that disagreements over Nigeria’s political direction should not make them enemies.

According to him, Nigeria’s difficulties have affected everyone in different ways, making reconciliation and mutual understanding more important than deepening divisions.

Obi said the country needed leaders who would place national interest above personal grievances, adding that he hoped he and Baba-Ahmed would eventually sit together again, not as political adversaries but as brothers committed to Nigeria’s progress.

He maintained that political disagreements should not erase the relationships forged in the struggle for a better country.