Datti Baba-Ahmed, a former Labour Party (LP) vice presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, has announced his plans to run for president in the 2027 general elections.
At a gathering at the national secretariat of the party in Abuja, he expressed his interest.
The announcement was made just one week after former presidential candidate Peter Obi declared he was leaving the Labour Party to join the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Speaking to party members and supporters, Baba-Ahmed stated that his desire to become president predated the 2023 election and was neither reactionary nor reliant on Obi’s political choices.
“I have declared my intention to run for the position in 2027. I’m not imitating anyone or following their path.
“May I kindly remind you that I ran for president before His Excellency Governor Peter Obi? You can view the records,” he stated.
Concerns about the departure of Peter Obi, the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, have been downplayed by the Julius Abure-led Labour Party, which maintains that it is still powerful and able to successfully compete in the general elections of 2027.
According to Abure, “we had laundered the image of our party with several influential people coming to us to say they want to join, some actually joined.”
“It is true that the governor of Abia State, Alex Otti, recently told the world that he joined the party before Peter Obi did,” he continued.
The LP chairman revealed that Governor Otti had stated that he would not defect with Obi, a move he saw as more evidence of the party’s stability.
According to Abure, “he also stated he was not going to defect with Peter Obi.”
According to reports, Abure made this statement on Wednesday during a party event at the Labour Party’s National Headquarters in Abuja, when supporters and party leaders came together to reiterate their dedication to the program.
Speaking to supporters of the party, Abure acknowledged Obi’s contribution to the party’s triumph in the 2023 elections but advised against blaming the party’s achievements entirely on his influence.
He claims that the Labour Party’s expansion came before Obi joined the party and was fueled by internal changes and teamwork.
Recounting what happened after Obi defected, Abure disclosed that Datti Baba-Ahmed, the party’s 2023 vice presidential candidate, called him and confirmed his allegiance to the party.
“I got a call on the evening of Peter Obi’s defection from Dr. Datti Baba-Ahmed, our 2023 vice presidential candidate,” he stated.
According to Abure, Baba-Ahmed assured him that he would stay with the Labour Party as it was the platform that garnered millions of votes for the 2023 presidential ticket.
“He said he is not leaving the party because it was the platform on which he and the previous candidate received 10 million votes from Nigerians, which was reduced to six million votes. We all know what happened,” Abure continued.
He claims that Baba-Ahmed also proposed a meeting for reconciliation with top party members, but later decided that grassroots supporters should be present.
