Former Labour Party vice-presidential candidate Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed has revealed that he agreed to run alongside Peter Obi in the 2023 presidential election largely out of sympathy for the former Anambra State governor.
Speaking during an interview with Symfoni and reported by TheCable on Wednesday, Baba-Ahmed said Obi had approached three prominent politicians in 2022 to become his running mate, but all declined the offer.
According to Baba-Ahmed, he felt compelled to support Obi because he believed both the politician and Nigeria deserved a credible alternative at the time.
“People don’t understand that between me and Obi, there is a great deal of sympathy. I have sympathy for him. And this sympathy was at the core of our relationship,” Baba-Ahmed said.
He added that he would have preferred one of the politicians Obi initially approached to accept the role but chose to step in after they reportedly avoided the opportunity.
“I felt bad for him and I felt bad for Nigeria as a nation,” he said, explaining that he volunteered to join the ticket because he believed it was in the country’s best interest.
Criticism of Obi’s Exit From Labour Party
Baba-Ahmed also criticised Obi’s decision to leave the Labour Party amid its prolonged leadership crisis.
The former senator argued that political disputes are common across parties and should be addressed rather than abandoned. He questioned whether Obi would avoid similar challenges in his new political platforms.
Obi formally joined the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in March as part of an opposition coalition but later moved to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) alongside Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, citing uncertainty about the ADC’s future.
Before his departure from Labour Party, Obi was involved in a protracted leadership dispute with factional chairman Julius Abure.
‘He Does Not Own My Politics’
Baba-Ahmed stressed that while he worked closely with Obi during the 2023 election campaign, he remains politically independent.
“With due respect, he does not own my politics; he doesn’t own me. I am independent,” he said.
The former Labour Party vice-presidential candidate has since left the party and aligned himself with the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP).
TheCable reported that Baba-Ahmed’s comments highlighted both the personal dynamics behind the 2023 Labour Party ticket and his continuing disagreement with Obi’s political decisions since the election.
