Former Labour Party (LP) vice-presidential candidate, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, has reaffirmed his personal and political loyalty to Peter Obi, the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, despite Obi’s recent defection to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
In an interview with Trust TV, Baba-Ahmed dismissed speculations of a rift between them, noting that while Obi did not invite him to join the ADC, their relationship remains cordial.
“Peter Obi did not invite me to join him in the ADC,” Baba-Ahmed said.
He added that their personal bond is intact, recalling that Obi attended a wedding at his home on January 12.
Baba-Ahmed also expressed his willingness to support Obi’s presidential ambitions should he decide to return to the Labour Party.
“I have immense respect for Peter Obi. If he does not get the ADC ticket and decides to return, I will work for him and try to secure the Labour Party ticket for him. I will also try to mend fences between him and anyone he is not on good terms with,” he said.
The former senator emphasized that his support for Obi in 2023 was based on conviction, not convenience.
“I supported Peter Obi’s presidential ambition with all my heart and mind because, at that time, it was the right thing to do,” he stated.
On the matter of regional representation in future elections, Baba-Ahmed highlighted that the North should not be sidelined in 2027, noting that the South initiated debates over power rotation.
“In 2027, a northerner can be elected. The North did not start this; the South did,” he said.