Senator Datti Baba-Ahmed, the Labour Party’s vice-presidential candidate in the 2023 election, has declared his intention to contest the 2027 presidential race.
He made the announcement on Wednesday at a rally held at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, days after former presidential candidate Peter Obi exited the Labour Party for the African Democratic Congress.
Baba-Ahmed said his ambition predates the 2023 election and is not influenced by Obi’s political moves. He noted that he had earlier sought the presidency during the Peoples Democratic Party primaries in 2018 before later joining forces with Obi in the Labour Party.
According to him, his decision to support Obi in 2023 was driven by a desire for national unity and what he described as a rare opportunity for change.
He also addressed concerns around ethnicity and religion, stating that although he is a Muslim and from the North, he is first and foremost a Nigerian, and the constitution grants him the right to seek elective office.
Baba-Ahmed added that he would follow due process, including waiting for INEC’s timetable and the Labour Party’s guidelines, before taking further steps toward his 2027 ambition.
