Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Dr. Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, the vice-presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in Nigeria’s 2023 general election, has described former party members who have left for other political platforms as “political travellers.” The comments were made on Wednesday during a rally at the LP national headquarters in Abuja, where Baba-Ahmed also suggested a possible presidential bid on the party’s platform ahead of the 2027 elections.
The remarks come in the wake of the high-profile defection of the LP’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), a coalition-backed platform. Obi officially joined the ADC after months of consultations with the opposition coalition, which includes former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, whom he previously served as running mate during the 2019 presidential election under the Peoples Democratic Party. Prior to his defection, Obi had urged his supporters, widely known as Obidients, to align with the ADC.
Speaking at the Abuja rally, Baba-Ahmed appeared to address former members who had left the LP, noting that some were initially welcomed with the party’s presidential ticket in 2022 but later chose to depart. “I had earlier engaged all party members to reconcile, and while some heeded my calls, others took offence and proceeded to defect,” he said.
The former vice-presidential candidate stressed that neither he nor the Labour Party were aggressors in the defection cases. “No regrets to me for this role, however, as a leader in this party. In this defection case, neither my humble self nor the Labour Party are the aggressors,” he said, describing the defectors as transient politicians. “A group of political travellers welcomed in 2022 with a presidential ticket continue with their journey. Simple.”
Baba-Ahmed also highlighted the party’s electoral successes, arguing that the Labour Party remains resilient despite internal and external challenges. “With all humility, Labour Party can flaunt its success. In the presence of financial difficulties, in an era of perfected electoral fraud, the Labour Party produced a state governor, eight senators, about 40 House of Representatives members and about 50 state House of Assembly members,” he said.
The rally underscored the Labour Party’s intent to maintain a strong political presence and to assert its identity ahead of the 2027 general elections. Baba-Ahmed’s comments signal the party’s commitment to consolidating its base and preparing for the next electoral cycle, even as defections continue to reshape Nigeria’s political landscape.
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