Datti doubts ability of any candidate to transform Nigeria, questions Obi’s political choices

By Jude Opara

Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi’s running mate in the 2023 election, Datti Baba-Ahmed, has expressed doubts about the capacity of any of the presidential contenders in the 2027 election to bring about meaningful transformation in Nigeria.

Datti made the assessment while speaking on the Mic On Podcast, where he also reflected on Obi’s political journey since the 2023 presidential election.

According to him, his former principal’s decision to leave the Labour Party and subsequently align with the African Democratic Congress (ADC) amounted to a departure from the political comfort zone he had previously occupied.

Datti said he had personally cautioned Obi against joining the ADC, arguing that the platform was not suitable for him.

He recalled that he met Obi at the Yar’Adua Centre shortly before the former Anambra State governor moved towards the ADC and privately advised him against the decision.

“When he was going to join ADC, I had to go to Yar’Adua Centre ahead of him and called him aside. They were worried: why is Datti calling Obi aside?” he said.

Datti added that he told Obi during the encounter that it would be his last visit to the venue and warned him that the political platform was not the right place for him.

He subsequently claimed that developments proved his prediction correct, pointing to Obi’s eventual departure from the ADC several months after joining the coalition.

“I told him that this is the last time that I’m coming to this place, but I want to tell you that this is not a place for you. Was I proven wrong? I was proven right, and within four months, Obi left ADC,” Datti said.

Beyond his disagreement with Obi’s political decisions, however, Datti offered a bleak assessment of the 2027 presidential contest, insisting that none of the leading contenders has demonstrated the capacity to substantially improve the country.

“None of the people contesting will improve Nigeria, including Peter Obi,” he said.

Datti, who was Obi’s running mate on the Labour Party platform in the 2023 presidential election, has since become increasingly critical of the direction taken by his former political ally.

While declining to delve deeply into the politics surrounding former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Datti said he was more interested in making his broader assessment of Nigeria’s political situation.

“I don’t like people who contradict themselves, and I don’t want to go into criticizing the politics of Atiku because that’s not what I’m about,” he added.