By Balikis Ajoyo
Former Labour Party vice-presidential candidate, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, has said none of the major contenders challenging President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election has what it takes to transform Nigeria.
Baba-Ahmed, who was Peter Obi’s running mate in the 2023 presidential election, made the remarks during an appearance on the MicOn Podcast on Saturday.
President Tinubu is expected to seek re-election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, while Peter Obi and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar are among the prominent opposition figures positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 election.
Baba-Ahmed, however, argued that the major political contenders had previously been associated with political parties and administrations that, in his view, contributed to the challenges currently facing the country.
He advised Tinubu to prepare to leave office at the end of his tenure, but said the president should not necessarily hand over to the leading opposition figures currently challenging him.
According to Baba-Ahmed, the politicians seeking to replace Tinubu had, at different times, been part of the same political establishment, including Obi, who was previously a member of the Peoples Democratic Party.
The former lawmaker said he was advocating what he described as a “new Nigeria” and claimed that he was the only politician among the leading contenders who had never belonged to a ruling political party.
Baba-Ahmed explained that although he was previously a member of the Congress for Progressive Change, he resigned before the party merged with others to form the APC.
He maintained that the CPC was an opposition party during his membership and therefore argued that he had never served in a ruling party.
The former LP vice-presidential candidate also weighed in on the controversy surrounding President Tinubu’s records in the United States.
He questioned former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s criticism of the president over the matter, arguing that Atiku had not always pursued the issue with the same level of intensity.
Baba-Ahmed further said Tinubu had been given an opportunity to govern Nigeria but should not seek to extend his stay beyond a second term.
He also accused the president of weakening Nigeria’s political parties during his administration.
The comments come as political parties and major political figures intensify preparations and realignments ahead of the 2027 presidential election, which is expected to feature several prominent contenders.
