By Nchetachi Chukwuajah
Senator Datti Baba-Ahmed, the Labour Party’s Vice Presidential candidate in the 2023 election, has declared his interest in contesting for the position of president in 2027.
Baba-Ahmed, who was the running mate to Peter Obi, made the declaration at a rally held at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja on Wednesday, January 7.
His declaration comes barely one week after Obi announced his defection from the Labour Party to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
In his address to party members and supporters, Baba-Ahmed said his aspiration was neither reactionary nor dependent on Obi’s political decisions, noting that his presidential ambition predates the 2023 election.
He said: “I have made myself to contest for the office in 2027. I’m not following anybody’s trajectory or stepping into anybody’s shoes.
“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.”
Recalling his earlier attempt to join the presidential race, Baba-Ahmed said he had contested in the Peoples Democratic Party primaries years before aligning with Obi in the Labour Party.
“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.
“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,” he said.
On concerns of religion and ethnicity, the former lawmaker noted that Nigeria’s constitution guarantees every qualified citizen the right to seek elective office.
He, however, noted that while he had made his intention known, he would adhere strictly to party and electoral guidelines.
In his speech, the National Chairman of the Labour Party, Julius Abure, commended Baba-Ahmed for remaining in the party despite speculations that he might defect following Obi’s exit.
Abure said the development demonstrated that the Labour Party remained intact, adding that several key figures, including the Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, had also chosen to stay back.
Abure further disclosed that Baba-Ahmed personally suggested a meeting of party leaders and members to reaffirm unity within the party.
