None Can Change Nigeria” — Datti Dismisses Tinubu’s Challengers, Including Peter Obi

Former Labour Party vice-presidential candidate Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed has said he does not believe any of the politicians seeking to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election can transform Nigeria.

According to Ireporter Online, Baba-Ahmed made the remarks during an interview on the MIC ON Podcast hosted by Seun Okinbaloye.

The politician said he would rather advise Tinubu to prepare to leave office than hand power to any of the opposition figures currently positioning themselves as alternatives to the president.

“I will simply advise uncle (Tinubu) to please prepare to hand over and move away, but not to the people contesting against him,” Baba-Ahmed said.

He argued that none of Tinubu’s challengers had demonstrated the capacity to significantly improve the country, alleging that several of them had previously been associated with the same political establishment.

“Because none of them will improve Nigeria. All those people contesting against him too were all in bed together at some point or another, including Peter Obi. At some point, he was in PDP,” he added.

Baba-Ahmed and former Anambra State governor Peter Obi jointly contested the 2023 presidential election on the platform of the Labour Party, with Baba-Ahmed serving as Obi’s running mate.

Their ticket finished third in the election, behind Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party.

The latest remarks come amid growing political activity ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with opposition figures exploring alliances and platforms to challenge the incumbent.

Baba-Ahmed recently also disclosed that he had advised Obi against joining the African Democratic Congress, saying he had warned the former governor that the platform was not suitable for his political ambitions.

He said Obi nevertheless proceeded with the move against his advice, adding that he could no longer assist him after the former governor moved away from what Baba-Ahmed described as his political comfort zone.