Labour Party vice-presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Datti Baba-Ahmed, has said President Bola Tinubu would not be in office today if the LP presidential candidate in 2023, Peter Obi, had followed his advice by challenging the government.
He also said he suggested the idea of Obi-Kwankwaso to the LP presidential candidate after the 2023 election.
Reacting, however, the National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide, Yunusa Tanko, dismissed Datti’s claims, insisting Obi had consistently challenged the current administration.
Tanko also said many people had a hand in the push for Obi-Kwankwaso’s ticket, adding that not a single person could take particular credit for the alliance.
The exchange comes amid fresh political realignments ahead of the 2027 elections, following the defection of Obi and Kwankwaso to the Nigeria Democratic Congress.
Datti, while fielding questions from The PUNCH on the sidelines of his official unveiling at the national headquarters of the Peoples Redemption Party in Abuja.
The former running mate to Obi arrived at the event with a delegation of Labour Party officials loyal to the ousted national chairman, Julius Abure, as well as members of his own political camp.
Among those present were former LP National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, and ex-Deputy National Chairman, Ayo Olorunfemi.
Reflecting on his role in the 2023 presidential campaign, Datti explained that things could have turned out differently if Obi had taken his counsel.
He said Obi was not willing to fight”
He said, “In 2023, I was out of this country, actually, when His Excellency called me to join. He was avoided serially by others.
“Again, because I know God says live together in Nigeria and do justice to each other, I felt morally obliged not to avoid him as he was avoided by others.
“I stood by him. All the toga, the identity card to be worn, I corrected it. The pushing out of northerners, I corrected it. The ‘Yes Daddy’ controversy, I corrected it. And so many other things like that.
“If only Obi had gone by what I said, Tinubu would not be in the villa today.”
He criticised what he described as a lack of firmness in leadership during the post-election period.
“A leader must be firm. However gentle you are as a leader, you must be willing to fight. Where is the first place you fight as a leader?
“When they are going to steal your victory, you don’t allow what happened in 2023, a clear constitutional breach, to take place. They left only one person – me – to fight the constitutional breach.
“Nobody spoke about the constitutional breach. Just me. You don’t do that. You must fight at that point. If you’re not ready to fight, don’t even bother to come out. Stay in your house.
“You’re going into politics, which is a contact sport. In a country like Nigeria that is so diverse, so heated, and you don’t want to quarrel or argue, then this is not for you.”
Obi–Kwankwaso ticket