The 2023 Labour Party vice-presidential candidate, Senator Datti Baba-Ahmed, on Monday denied speculations that his defection to the Peoples Redemption Party was driven by a quest to secure the party’s presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 elections.
Datti spoke at his official unveiling at the national headquarters of the PRP in Abuja, where he arrived with a delegation of Labour Party stakeholders loyal to the ousted National Chairman, Julius Abure, as well as members of his political camp.
Among those present were a former National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, Obiora Ifoh, and ex-Deputy National Chairman, Ayo Olorunfemi.
Addressing party members and supporters, the former senator dismissed claims that his move was self-serving, insisting that his priority was national transformation rather than personal ambition.
He said, “I am a party member. I didn’t come here to get a presidential ticket. I came here to fix Nigeria. I came here to drive out President Tinubu’s government. If my supporting someone is it, then so be it. If me getting the ticket and contesting, so be it.”
Reflecting on the political dynamics surrounding his defection, Datti described the moment as unusual but reflective of Nigeria’s evolving political landscape.
The former lawmaker also stressed the importance of leadership in addressing Nigeria’s challenges, lamenting that many capable individuals had stayed away from politics, thereby worsening the country’s situation.
“I wonder how many times in the history of a country it happens that a national chairman is actually welcoming his own brother to his party. But this is Nigeria. This is life for you. We take things as they come.
“Leadership is too important to be ignored. I have also said there is no shortage of good, wonderful and qualified people in Nigeria. What happened is that they shied away from politics, largely responsible for the situation we find ourselves in today,” he said.
While praising the resilience of the PRP, Datti further raised concerns about electoral integrity, warning against a repeat of alleged irregularities in the 2023 general election.
“Quite frankly, it is a miracle that PRP has survived the onslaught that has been going on for the last three years. The PRP is getting set to produce the next federal government, state governments, every layer, and the legislature accordingly.
“We have borne the brunt of a group that captured the state of Nigeria so easily. I want to state now that even if the next election were to be declared at 3.00 a.m. or 2.00 a.m., it will be resisted. They were only about six to eight hours ahead of me in 2023 when that announcement (election results) was made at 4.00 a.m.
“I see PRP as a party that will not sit down and watch electoral victory so easily be taken away from the Nigerian people. Therefore, Professor Amupitan will not declare a fake result in 2027, and IREV will not develop a glitch. Nobody will sneak to the International Conference Centre and declare a fake winner of any election,” he said.
He also urged Nigerians to take responsibility for the state of the nation while defending political realignments across party lines.
In his remarks, Datti’s older brother and National Chairman of the PRP, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, said the opposition landscape remained fluid amid legal disputes and internal crises affecting several political parties.
He said, “A lot of the opposition has been severely damaged, deliberately and systematically. We don’t know what will emerge from the very tight timelines. Now, many of the big parties are back in court. They’re facing legal challenges.
“We will not know the global picture until quite possibly the end of May. That’s the only time we will know who is going to even contest these elections. We are safe, and we thank God for all the efforts we made and with the prayers of Nigerians, but there are a lot of parties that will not stand.”
He added that the PRP was open to alliances aimed at strengthening the opposition and unseating the current administration.
“When we know who is in the team, we will devise ways in which we can either on our own or together collaborate. The key issue, the only goal in mind of the opposition, all of them, is to change this administration because it needs to go. Nigeria cannot survive another four years under this administration.
“Whatever we have to do legally, whatever we have to do to win this election, either as a party or an alliance of parties, we will do. We will do it not because we want to take up offices but because we have to salvage this country, and we’re very serious about this.
“So we are willing to enter into any arrangement that reinforces the strength of the opposition and so that we can change this government and make sure that President Tinubu and his government don’t come back and destroy this country,” he stated.
Datti had last week announced his resignation from the Labour Party and his decision to join the PRP. He made the disclosure during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today.
Baba-Ahmed, who was the running mate to Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi in the 2023 general election, cited internal disagreements, a departure from the party’s founding ideals, and alleged external interference in opposition politics as reasons for his exit.
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