Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, Labour Party (LP) vice-presidential candidate in the 2023 election, says none of President Bola Tinubu’s major opponents in the 2027 presidential election has what it takes to improve Nigeria.
Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, is seeking a second term in office.
His major challengers include Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Speaking on the MicOn Podcast on Saturday, Baba-Ahmed, who was Obi’s running mate in 2023, said the leading contenders were part of the political class that contributed to Nigeria’s current situation.
He advised Tinubu to prepare to leave office after his current term but argued that the president should not hand over power to any of the major opposition candidates.
“I will simply advise Uncle (Tinubu) to please prepare to hand over and move away, but not to the people contesting against him,” he said.
“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.”
Baba-Ahmed said Nigeria needs a “new Nigeria” and described himself as the only politician among the major contenders who has never belonged to a ruling party.
He noted that although he was previously a member of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), he left the party before it merged with other parties to form the APC.
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“I have never been in a ruling party. When I was in CPC, it was a little opposition party,” he said.
“I never had an APC membership card.”
The former lawmaker also commented on the controversy surrounding Tinubu’s records in the United States.
He questioned why Atiku had been at the forefront of raising issues about Tinubu’s records despite previously remaining silent on the matter.
Baba-Ahmed said Tinubu had been given the opportunity to lead Nigeria but should not seek to remain in power beyond his tenure.
He also accused the president of weakening political parties during his three years in office.
“All he did in three years was to destroy political parties,” Baba-Ahmed said.
Rafiyat Sadiq is a political, justice, and human rights reporter with Pinnacle Daily, known for fearless reporting and impactful storytelling. At Pinnacle Daily, she brings clarity and depth to issues shaping governance, democracy, and the protection of citizens’ rights.