Former Labour Party presidential running mate Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed has opened up about his relationship with Peter Obi, claiming that he played a significant role in Obi’s political journey but that supporters of the former Anambra State governor have forgotten his contributions.
Baba-Ahmed was Obi’s running mate on the Labour Party ticket during the 2023 presidential election.
The partnership became one of the most prominent political combinations of that election, with the Labour Party recording an unexpectedly strong performance and the “Obidient” movement emerging as a major force in Nigerian politics.
But the relationship between the two politicians has since changed significantly.
Obi has moved from the Labour Party to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and is preparing to contest the 2027 presidential election on the new platform.
Baba-Ahmed has become increasingly critical of Obi’s political decisions.
Recent comments by the former senator have included criticism of Obi’s decision to join the opposition coalition, with Baba-Ahmed saying he had warned his former running mate against the move.
‘I did so much for Peter Obi’
Reflecting on their political relationship, Baba-Ahmed said he believed his own contribution to Obi’s rise had not received sufficient recognition.
He complained that people associated with Obi had become forgetful about the role he played during their political partnership.
The remarks expose the continuing strain between two politicians who were once at the centre of the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential campaign.
Baba-Ahmed was not merely a running mate to Obi. His selection helped the ticket consolidate support among northern voters and gave the Labour Party campaign a prominent political figure from the North.
The ticket subsequently secured third place in the 2023 presidential election, behind Tinubu of the APC and Atiku Abubakar of the PDP.
Relationship changes ahead of 2027
The political relationship between Obi and Baba-Ahmed has since evolved.
Obi is now pursuing another presidential bid through the NDC, while Baba-Ahmed has distanced himself from some of the former Labour Party candidate’s recent political choices.
In September, Baba-Ahmed said he had warned Obi against joining the opposition coalition but that Obi ignored his advice.
He has also continued to comment on the political direction of the former Labour Party movement as the 2027 election approaches.
The disagreement illustrates the fragmentation that has followed the 2023 Labour Party campaign.
The wider 2027 contest
Obi remains one of the leading opposition figures positioning himself for the 2027 election.
His decision to leave the Labour Party and join the NDC-backed political coalition has reshaped the opposition landscape.
The move has also generated criticism from some of his former political allies, including Baba-Ahmed.
For Baba-Ahmed, the issue is not simply about party affiliation but about the political choices being made ahead of another presidential contest.
His latest comments therefore add to a growing public dispute over Obi’s political strategy and the legacy of the movement that emerged around the 2023 election.
The extent to which those disagreements will affect the opposition’s prospects in 2027 remains uncertain.