Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, Peter Obi’s running mate in the 2023 presidential election, has explained why he believes it would be “very unlikely” for the Muslim North to support a Peter Obi–Rabiu Kwankwaso ticket.
Speaking during an interview, Datti said his experience campaigning for Obi showed him the challenges of winning support in the North.
“I said it is very unlikely that the North will support Peter Obi. Very unlikely, because I know what I have faced. If you want me to repeat, when I jumped onto the ticket, I had to contend immediately with ID card,” he said.
He also questioned how Kwankwaso, who previously travelled from Kano to Anambra to challenge Obi, would handle the contradictions that could arise from such a political arrangement.
Datti recalled the effort he made to introduce Obi to communities across Northern Nigeria, particularly in Borno.
“I knew how and what I used to get Peter Obi across. Like I said, all the way to Shehu of Borno. Do you know Shehu of Borno? At least historically, do you know the history of Borno? Islam was in Borno 400 years before it even came to the Sokoto.”
He recounted an encounter involving the Shehu of Borno and Lord Lugard, saying the historical relationship helped shape British policy toward the region.
“From Borno, that is when they got that idea. I smuggled Peter Obi to Borno, to the Caliphate, to Kano, to Zaria, to market him. So I sorted that problem of ID card, mosque demolition.”
Datti further questioned whether Kwankwaso would be willing to make the same sacrifices he made during the 2023 campaign.
“Because I took myself as a staff of Peter Obi. I considered myself as staff. Call me 2 a.m., I will jump up. Call me 4 a.m., I will jump up. Call me 6 a.m., I will jump up.”
He concluded by asking whether age, ego or seniority could prevent such commitment, saying: “So will age allow, will ego, will seniority, will all those things allow him?”
