Former vice-presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general elections, Dr Datti Baba-Ahmed, has formally declared his intention to contest the presidency in the 2027 polls.
Baba-Ahmed made the announcement at a rally held at the Labour Party’s national secretariat in Abuja. His declaration comes just days after the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, announced his departure from the Labour Party to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Addressing party members and supporters, Baba-Ahmed stressed that his decision was not a reaction to Obi’s exit and was not influenced by anyone’s political movement. He explained that his presidential ambition predates the 2023 elections.
“I have made myself available to contest for the office in 2027. I’m not following anybody’s trajectory or stepping into anybody’s shoes,” he said. “Before His Excellency Governor Peter Obi filed for the presidency, I had already aspired to run for the same office. The records are there for everyone to see.”
Meanwhile, the Julius Abure-led Labour Party has played down concerns surrounding Obi’s defection, insisting that the party remains united, stable and capable of mounting a strong challenge in the 2027 general elections.
Speaking at the same rally, Abure said the party’s growth and appeal extended beyond any single individual. He noted that influential figures had continued to show interest in the party, with some already joining.
“We had laundered the image of our party, and several people of influence have approached us, saying they want to join. Some have even joined already,” Abure stated.
He further revealed that Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, had publicly clarified that he joined the Labour Party before Peter Obi and had no intention of defecting alongside him. Abure described this as clear evidence of the party’s stability.
“He also made it clear that he was not going to defect with Peter Obi,” Abure said.
While acknowledging the impact Obi had on the party’s performance in the 2023 elections, Abure cautioned against attributing the party’s success solely to his presence. According to him, the Labour Party’s progress was built on collective reforms and sustained efforts that predated Obi’s entry.
Abure also disclosed that on the night Obi announced his departure, Baba-Ahmed personally called him to reaffirm his loyalty to the party. He said Baba-Ahmed made it clear that he had no intention of leaving the platform that helped secure millions of votes in the last election.
“He told me he was not leaving the party because it was the platform on which he and the former presidential candidate received over 10 million votes from Nigerians, later reduced to six million. We all know what happened,” Abure added.
According to Abure, Baba-Ahmed also proposed a reconciliation meeting involving senior party members, but later agreed that such engagement should extend to grassroots supporters to strengthen unity within the party.
