Politics
‘I’m independent, Peter Obi doesn’t own me’ — Datti Baba-Ahmed
Former Labour Party vice-presidential candidate, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, has defended his decision to leave the Labour Party for the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), insisting that his political choices are independent of former presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
Baba-Ahmed, who was Obi’s running mate in the 2023 presidential election, said he declined to follow the former Anambra State governor into the opposition coalition because he believed the internal crisis within the Labour Party should have been resolved rather than abandoned.
Speaking on the Naija Unfiltered podcast, Baba-Ahmed said many people assumed he would align with Obi’s new political direction, but he chose a different path based on his convictions.
“They thought I would follow Peter Obi, but I had given enough sympathy then and I thought as a leader, what he should do then is to solve the problem out,” he said.
The former senator questioned the rationale behind leaving one political platform because of internal disagreements only to join another party that could face similar challenges.
“If Abure was a problem, what makes him think the Nwosu or the David Mark of the ADC will not be a problem? What makes him think the chairman of Seriake’s party, NDC, will not be a problem? It’s the same thing wherever you go. Stay here and fix the problem; let’s work together, and he decided to move,” Baba-Ahmed stated.
He stressed that his decision not to join the African Democratic Congress (ADC) alongside Obi was based on principles he had consistently articulated.
“With due respect, Peter Obi does not own my politics, he does not own me. I am independent,” he said.
According to him, he had informed Obi of his reasons for rejecting the move and chose instead to pursue his political future through another platform.
“And I said, alright sir. I have different reasons for joining you. If you want to move, go ahead. I gave my cogent and logical reason for not joining the ADC, all of which have come through,” he added.
Baba-Ahmed’s remarks come amid ongoing political realignments within the opposition camp as parties and political figures position themselves ahead of the 2027 general elections.
His decision to join the PRP marks a departure from the political alliance that propelled the Labour Party’s strong performance in the 2023 presidential election and underscores growing divisions among opposition figures over the best strategy to challenge the ruling APC in the next electoral cycle.
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Ex-Labour Party vice presidential candidate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, has slammed the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, for announcing the 2023 election result at 4am.
Speaking in an interview with Symfoni, Baba-Ahmed stated that an electoral umpire that announces results at 4am is a criminal.
Baba-Ahmed also lambasted President Bola Tinubu for leading a government that was a product of that ‘criminal’ act.
“I keep saying, and I sometimes I wonder, we Nigerians, why do we just take everything to pass? How can an INEC chairman promise African leaders, including Nelson Mandela’s younger brother,Thabo Mbeki, that he would announce election result by 9am but sneaked and did the announcement by by 4am?
“Isn’t this person a thief? Isn’t he a crook to announce results by 4am? This is wrong. Look, you’re a Nigerian. I’m a Nigerian. Well, I know I did my part. I tried to stop it, but it has passed.
“And how can you shamelessly be leading a government that was announced at 4am? Who works at 4am? Criminals! The INEC that announces a result at 4am is a criminal INEC. Believe me,” he said.
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The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, has called for stronger participation of women in politics.
According to him, women have equal ability and capacity as men when given the opportunity.
Yilwatda made the call on Tuesday when he received the APC National Women Leader, Dr. Mary Alile Idele.
He said women should not be left behind in leadership and decision-making processes, stressing the need for equal opportunity in politics.
“Being a woman does not make you less than a man. You have equal brain, equal capacity, equal ability,” he said.
He urged more women to come out and actively participate in politics, adding that empowerment and inclusion remain key to strengthening democracy.
“We encourage women to come out and participate in politics actively. We must empower you,” he added.
Yilwatda also assured women within the party of his support, saying the party leadership is committed to giving women a stronger voice in governance.
“We must empower you… and I will be behind you,” he said.
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Former Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, has declared his support for Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi ahead of the 2027 election while maintaining that he still believes in the key economic reforms introduced by President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Omo-Agege made the remarks during an appearance on ARISE TV’s The Morning Show on Wednesday, where he explained his political position following his recent resignation from the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Responding to questions about why Nigerians should trust his endorsement of Obi after publicly supporting President Tinubu’s economic policies only weeks earlier, the former Delta Central senator said his views on the reforms had not changed.
“I was a member of the APC. I never left the APC; the party left me and left my over 230,000 supporters in Delta State,” he said.
According to Omo-Agege, he remains convinced that some of the administration’s most significant economic decisions, particularly the removal of fuel subsidy and the floating of the naira, were necessary reforms.
“When Mr President came up with the economic policies, most especially the naira floatation and subsidy removal, these are policies I supported and continue to support,” he stated.
The former deputy senate president noted, however, that support for those policies should not be seen as exclusive to the APC or President Tinubu, arguing that Obi had also advocated similar economic measures.
“Even though these policies were espoused by Mr President, which I support, the same policies were also supported by Peter Obi,” he said.
Omo-Agege stressed that his endorsement of Obi was not based on a rejection of the reforms but on his belief that Nigerians would have greater confidence in their implementation under the former Anambra State governor.
“The question is, have I changed my opinion about this? No, I have not,” he said.
“I just believe that under the new platform I’ve gone to, these policies will continue and the people, the majority of Nigerians who have issues with those policies, would feel more confident because they are more comfortable and trust Peter Obi that he will make these policies work more than Mr President could have done.”
He further defended the reforms, insisting that the policies themselves were not the problem.
“The policies are not bad policies,” Omo-Agege added.
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