ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- 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), maintaining that his political future is not tied to that of his former running mate, Peter Obi.
Baba-Ahmed, who partnered Obi on the Labour Party ticket during the 2023 presidential election, said he deliberately chose not to follow the former Anambra State governor into the opposition coalition, arguing that the party’s internal crisis should have been resolved rather than abandoned.
Speaking on the Naija Unfiltered podcast, the former senator said many political observers expected him to align with Obi’s latest political direction, but he opted for a different course based on his personal convictions and assessment of the situation.
“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,” Baba-Ahmed said.
Questioning the wisdom of leaving one political platform because of internal disputes only to join another party that could face similar challenges, he argued that leadership requires confronting and resolving problems rather than walking away from them.
“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,” he stated.
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Baba-Ahmed stressed that his refusal to join the African Democratic Congress (ADC) alongside Obi was rooted in principles he had consistently upheld.
“With due respect, Peter Obi does not own my politics, he does not own me. I am independent,” he declared.
According to him, he had openly communicated his reasons for rejecting the move to the ADC and instead chose to pursue his political ambitions 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.
His comments come amid ongoing political realignments within opposition circles as parties and key political figures position themselves ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The development also comes against the backdrop of growing debate within opposition ranks over the most effective strategy for challenging the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the next electoral cycle.
Baba-Ahmed’s decision to pitch his tent with the PRP marks a significant departure from the political alliance that helped power the Labour Party’s strong showing in the 2023 presidential election, highlighting widening divisions among opposition leaders over the path forward ahead of the 2027 polls.