Former Labour Party vice-presidential candidate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, says his ex-principal, Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar are not opposition leaders but office seekers.

Baba-Ahmed made this remark on Thursday while fielding questions on Trust TV.

He was speaking on the forthcoming 2027 general elections and the chances of the opposition political parties.

“Peter Obi was and is still my boss. We still have a good relationship, and I hope we can somehow work together in the very near future.

“So, I’d rather move away from the individuals, speak about the variables in Nigerian politics. The variables is that most of us call them opposition.

“Peter Obi and Atiku are not opposition but mere office seekers. Opposition is when you are active, actually technically engaging the mis-ruling government on every action. Not only when it is time to seek particular office that you come out.

“Left to me, right from 2023, Peter Obi, and everyone else should have maintained that tempo that I initiated about constitutional breach,” he said.

The political leader of Uyo Senatorial District in Akwa Ibom State, Senator Effiong Bob, has reminded  critics and those bent on ousting Governor Umo Eno in 2027 that the goalpost can never  be shifted while a match is going on.

He noted that the governor’s tenure should be allowed to run its full course.

Speaking with journalists in Uyo on Thursday, Bob urged those who want to contest for governorship or any other elective office to embrace issue based campaigns and not to resort to personal attacks on Governor Eno.

He added that the people of Uyo Senatorial District, where the governor comes from, will not allow anyone to either truncate the conventional eight year tenure for the governor or to embark on venomous attacks on his person.

“You cannot shift the goalpost while the match is on. He has just completed the third year in his first term. The governor’s mandate should run its full course.

“Uyo Senatorial District would not stand by and see our governor, that is supposed to do and will do eight years, being rubbished. If you want to contest an election, go and contest your election. Leave the governor alone,” he said.

Bob added, “We will resist every attempt, I mean every attempt, to bring down the governance structure of Umo Eno as a governor at this time.

“Anybody that wants to contest election should articulate what you are going to do, which you feel the governor has not done, and then, when you are there, you will do better.”

The lawmaker representing Ideato North/Ideato South Federal Constituency of Imo State in the House of Representatives, Ikenga Ugochinyere, has been nominated as the Minority Leader of the House.

Ugochinyere was nominated by 61 members of the House from different political parties.

It will be recalled that Ugochinyere defected from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the Action Peoples Party, APP, in January.

DAILY POST reports that following the development, Ugochinyere will succeed Kingsley Chinda, the lawmaker representing Obio/Akpor federal constituency in Rivers State, who vacated the minority leader position after defecting to the All Progressives Congress, APC, and emerging as the party’s governorship candidate for Rivers State.

In a letter dated June 3, 2026, and addressed to the Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, the lawmakers, comprising members of the African Democratic Congress, ADC; Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC; All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA; Peoples Redemption Party, PRP; Labour Party, LP; Allied Peoples Movement, APM; Social Democratic Party, SDP and Accord, said the nomination reflected the preference of the majority of opposition members in the green chamber.

The lawmakers who signed the letter are Ugochinyere (APP, Imo), Aliyu Abdullahi (ADC, Kaduna), Aniekwe Udogalanya (NDC, Anambra), Shehu Dalhatu (PDP, Katsina), Aliyu Misau (APM, Bauchi), Matthew Nwogu (APP, Imo), Ojo Makanjuola (APM, Oyo), Anthony Adepoju (APM, Oyo), Isah Ambarura (ADC, Sokoto), Sani Noma (ADC, Kebbi), Umar Zakari (NDC, Kano), Adamu Wakili (NDC, Kano), Datti Umar (NDC, Kano), Abdulhakeem Ado (NDC, Kano), Philip Agbese (LP, Benue), Dahiru Sarki (SDP, Nasarawa), Thaddeus Attah (NDC, Lagos), Gwacham Chinwe (APGA, Anambra), Obinna Aguocha (LP, Abia), and Nnabuife Clara (APGA, Anambra).

Others are Peter Uzokwe (NDC, Anambra), Emeka Obiajulu (NDC, Anambra), Oyedeji Oyeshina (APM, Oyo), Joshua Obika (NDC, FCT), Okonkwo Harris (NDC, Anambra), Oluwande George (NDC, Lagos), Jesse Onuakalusi (NDC, Lagos), Oladebo Omoleye (ACCORD, Osun), Mudashiru Alani (ACCORD, Osun), Mani Katami (ADC, Sokoto), Usman Basiru (ADC, Sokoto), Ibe Osonwa (LP, Abia), Alexanda Ikwechegh (LP, Abia), Omoruyi Osaro (NDC, Edo), Aliyu Garu (APM, Bauchi), Auwalu Gwalabe (APM, Bauchi), Hashimu Adamu (APM, Bauchi), Akanni Ademola (ACCORD, Osun), Adewale Adebayo (ACCORD, Osun), and Adetunji Olusoji (ACCORD, Osun).

Also on the list are Okafor Ifeanyi (APGA, Anambra), Onwusibe Obinna (LP, Abia), Zubairu Usman (ADC, Kaduna), Abdulmaleek Danga (PDP, Kogi), Oluwaseyi Sowumi (NDC, Lagos), Madawaki Dahiru (PDP, Jigawa), Sani Tanko (APM, Bauchi), Umar Yabo (ADC, Sokoto), Bello el-Rufai (ADC, Kaduna), Ajilo Shehu (ADC, Kaduna), Yahaya Richifa (ADC, Kaduna), Gana Audu (PDP, Niger), Abel Fuoh (PDP, Taraba), Sani Lawal (ADC, Katsina), Fola Oyekunle (APM, Oyo), Amobi Ogah (LP, Abia), Adamu Yakubu (PDP, Jigawa), Abdullahi El-Rasheed (ADC, Gombe), Esosa Iyame (NDC, Edo), Bala Rabiu (PDP, Bauchi), and Abubakar Zango (ADC, Adamawa).