Former Labour Party vice-presidential candidate, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, has said his decision to run alongside Peter Obi in the 2023 presidential election was motivated by sympathy rather than shared political ideology.
Baba-Ahmed made the disclosure during an interview with media outlet Symfoni, in a video that surfaced on Wednesday, explaining that he stepped in after Obi’s earlier attempts to secure a running mate reportedly failed.
According to him, Obi had approached three prominent politicians who declined the offer, prompting him to intervene out of concern for both Obi and the country.
“They thought I would follow Peter Obi. Now, people don’t understand that between me and Obi, there’s a great deal of sympathy. I have sympathy for him,” Baba-Ahmed said.
He added that he considered his decision an act of service, describing himself as a “volunteer for the sake of Nigeria.”
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The former senator, who defected from the Labour Party to the Peoples Redemption Party in May 2026, also used the interview to distance himself politically from Obi, insisting that his support had limits.
“With due respect, he does not own my politics. He does not own me. I am independent,” he stated.
Baba-Ahmed criticised Obi’s decision to leave the Labour Party, arguing that internal party challenges should not necessarily lead to defection.
Referencing party leadership across different platforms, he questioned whether similar issues would not arise elsewhere, citing figures such as David Mark and Seriake Dickson.
Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, had earlier attributed his exit from the Labour Party to internal crises. However, Baba-Ahmed maintained that such challenges should be addressed internally rather than avoided.
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The comments mark a further divergence between the former running mates following their separate political paths after the 2023 elections.
