Talk of political realignments is heating up ahead of the 2027 elections, and Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, the Labour Party’s 2023 vice-presidential candidate, has weighed in on the future of his former running mate, Peter Obi.
Baba-Ahmed assured that Obi would have an open path back into the Labour Party if things don’t go his way with the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential ticket.
Obi’s Return Seen as a Better Option
Speaking to Channels Television on Friday, Baba-Ahmed emphasized that it would be more beneficial for Obi to come back to the platform they shared during the 2023 elections rather than pursue what he described as “another type of agenda.”
“I also said if Peter Obi does not get the ticket there in ADC, he is more than welcome back to the Labour Party.
I will stand there, and nobody will do anything bad to Peter Obi. It is better for him to come back than for him to do another type of agenda,” Baba-Ahmed explained.
This statement follows Obi’s recent move to join an opposition coalition anchored on the ADC, almost three years after he and Baba-Ahmed campaigned together on the Labour Party ticket.
Clarifying Misconceptions About His Own Ambitions
Baba-Ahmed also took the opportunity to address rumors that he himself had declared an intention to run for president.
He dismissed such reports as untrue, explaining that he had only reaffirmed his Labour Party membership.
“I never declared to contest the presidency, even though there could be a possibility of that happening. I certainly did not declare for the presidency.
I simply reiterated my membership of the Labour Party. That is all.
In the submissions I made, I clearly stated that one will have to wait for the INEC timetable and for the party to make the call for people to indicate their interest,” he said.
He blamed social media sensationalism for spreading misleading narratives that stirred emotions among the public.
What’s Next for the Labour Party and Obi?
With Obi now part of the ADC coalition and the Labour Party keeping the door open for his return, political watchers are keenly observing the next moves.
Whether Obi secures the ADC ticket or eventually returns to his old platform could shape the opposition landscape in the run-up to 2027.
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