Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, a former Labour Party vice presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, has ruled out the possibility of a united opposition candidate ahead of the 2027 presidential election, saying such an arrangement is unrealistic.
He made the remarks on Tuesday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, while reacting to the so-called Ibadan Declaration by an opposition coalition that agreed to present a single candidate to challenge President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Baba-Ahmed argued that the meeting did not represent the full opposition, stating that only the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) were involved.
He described the idea of a single opposition candidate as unworkable, insisting that political parties involved would not be able to reach a consensus.
He also dismissed the relevance of the coalition, saying it does not truly represent the entire opposition landscape in the country.
Speaking further, he expressed doubt that the coalition under the ADC could succeed, even if his former running mate, Peter Obi, were to secure its presidential ticket.
Baba-Ahmed shifted part of his criticism toward what he described as citizens’ low political engagement, arguing that public disengagement contributes to poor governance and weak opposition structures.
He also accused the current administration of contributing to the weakening of opposition parties, claiming that too much attention is being directed toward opposition politics instead of governance priorities such as security and economic development.
In a separate development, he announced his decision to leave the Labour Party, stating that internal disagreements and a departure from the party’s founding principles influenced his move. He revealed that he would be joining the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), with his exit from Labour Party expected to take effect immediately.
