Former Running Mate Warns Obidients Against Attacks, Questions How Kwankwaso Will Address Controversies From Obi’s 2023 Presidential Campaign
November 2, 2026
Former Labour Party vice-presidential candidate, Senator Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, has issued a warning to supporters of Peter Obi, declaring that he possesses further damaging information concerning his former presidential running mate and the 2023 election campaign.
Baba-Ahmed, who contested alongside Obi in the 2023 presidential election, made the remarks during an interview with Symfoni TV amid disagreements over the political direction of the former Anambra State governor ahead of the 2027 elections.
The former vice-presidential candidate accused sections of the Obidient movement of attacking him whenever he expressed views they considered unfavourable to Obi.
He warned that continued attacks could prompt him to disclose additional information about the previous campaign.
His comments have attracted attention because of his direct involvement in Obi’s 2023 presidential campaign and his familiarity with the political challenges encountered by their joint ticket.
DATTI QUESTIONS OBI–KWANKWASO TICKET’S NORTHERN ACCEPTANCE
Baba-Ahmed also questioned the capacity of the Obi–Kwankwaso presidential ticket to secure broad acceptance across Northern Nigeria.
He said his assessment was informed by his personal experiences during the 2023 campaign, when he worked to address controversies affecting Obi’s image among some Northern communities.
According to Baba-Ahmed, allegations concerning the treatment of Northerners during Obi’s tenure as Anambra State governor presented significant communication challenges.
He specifically referred to controversies involving identity-card requirements, the demolition of a mosque and a leaked conversation between Obi and Bishop David Oyedepo.
These matters were subjects of political controversy. Baba-Ahmed’s references to them do not independently establish the underlying allegations as facts.
The former running mate recalled travelling to Borno, Kano, Zaria and other Northern locations to address concerns and promote Obi’s presidential candidacy.
He maintained that those experiences informed his reservations about the political reception awaiting the current opposition ticket.
KWANKWASO’S PREVIOUS CRITICISM RAISES QUESTIONS
Baba-Ahmed further questioned how former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso would reconcile his earlier criticisms of Obi with his present political partnership.
He recalled that Kwankwaso had previously challenged Obi over allegations concerning the treatment of Northerners in Anambra State.
According to Baba-Ahmed, the former governor could face questions from voters about the change in his political position.
The remarks place renewed attention on the relationship between the Obidient and Kwankwasiyya political movements as both groups prepare for the 2027 presidential election.
However, Baba-Ahmed’s assessment remains his personal political opinion, rather than evidence of how Northern voters will ultimately decide.
WHAT DOES DATTI KNOW ABOUT THE 2023 CAMPAIGN?
The most striking aspect of Baba-Ahmed’s latest intervention is his suggestion that he has additional information capable of generating controversy.
Having served as Obi’s running mate, Baba-Ahmed participated directly in campaign planning, political consultations and public engagement during the 2023 election.
His warning consequently raises questions about the nature of the information he claims to possess.
However, he has not publicly identified the alleged damaging information or presented evidence establishing misconduct by Obi.
Until such information is disclosed and independently examined, it would be premature to draw conclusions about its significance.
The disagreement also illustrates the tensions that can emerge when former political allies publicly challenge one another’s accounts of past campaigns.
Baba-Ahmed has defended his right to express independent political opinions, while some Obi supporters have criticised his interventions and questioned his motives.
The controversy comes as opposition parties and political movements continue preparations for the 2027 general elections.
THE NATIONAL PATRIOTS’ POSITION
Datti Baba-Ahmed was Peter Obi’s running mate in 2023, making his warning of damaging revelations particularly significant. The National Patriots ask: What does Datti know that Nigerians deserve to hear? Why threaten disclosure while withholding the facts? His doubts about Northern acceptance of the Obi–Kwankwaso ticket also demand attention. Nigerians deserve answers, not political suspense. If Datti possesses credible evidence of wrongdoing, he should disclose it publicly without further delay.
Princess Gloria Adebajo-Fraser, MFR
President, The National Patriots
Member, APC-PCC Strategic Communications Team
