The Labour Party’s Vice Presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, Senator Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, has formally declared his interest in contesting the 2027 presidential election, amid ongoing realignments within Nigeria’s opposition space.
Baba-Ahmed made the declaration on Wednesday during a rally at the Labour Party’s national secretariat in Abuja, barely one week after the party’s former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, announced his defection to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
His declaration has further intensified debate over the future of the Labour Party and the direction of the broader opposition ahead of the next general election.
Addressing party members and supporters, Baba-Ahmed said his presidential ambition was neither reactionary nor dependent on Obi’s political decisions, stressing that his aspiration predates the 2023 election.
“I have made myself available to contest for the office in 2027. I am not following anybody’s trajectory or stepping into anybody’s shoes,” he said.
He recalled that he had nursed presidential ambitions long before the last election, noting that he contested the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries in 2018 before aligning with Obi under the Labour Party platform in 2023.
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“In October 2018, I participated in the PDP primaries in Port Harcourt. I later saw a rare opportunity for national unity in the candidacy of Peter Obi in 2023, and that was why I decided to support him,” Baba-Ahmed explained.
The former lawmaker also addressed concerns surrounding religion and ethnicity, insisting that the Nigerian Constitution guarantees every qualified citizen the right to seek elective office.
“Yes, I am a practising Muslim. Yes, I am a Hausa man. But above all, I am a Nigerian, and the constitution allows me to contest. I am doing this because Nigeria needs help,” he said.
However, Baba-Ahmed emphasised that he would strictly adhere to party and electoral processes, adding that he would await the release of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) timetable and formal guidelines from the Labour Party before taking further steps.
Reacting, the National Chairman of the Labour Party, Julius Abure, commended Baba-Ahmed for remaining in the party despite speculation of possible defections following Obi’s exit.
Abure said the development underscored the stability of the Labour Party, noting that key figures, including Abia State Governor Alex Otti, had also chosen to remain.
He disclosed that Baba-Ahmed personally suggested a meeting of party leaders and grassroots members to reaffirm unity within the party, leading to the rally held at the party secretariat.
“The Labour Party is intact. We will not let Nigerians down. We will remain united and continue to offer a genuine alternative to Nigerians,” Abure said.
Baba-Ahmed’s declaration has added a fresh dimension to the emerging 2027 presidential race, as political parties begin early positioning amid shifting alliances within Nigeria’s opposition landscape.