Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The political alliance that once electrified millions of Nigerian youths during the 2023 presidential election has officially turned into a war of words. Datti Baba‑Ahmed, the former Labour Party vice‑presidential candidate who ran alongside Peter Obi, has launched a blistering attack on his old principal, accusing him of abandoning the Labour Party and fleeing to other political platforms simply because he is not ready to stand and fight. Speaking on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, during a press conference in Abuja, Baba‑Ahmed did not hide his disappointment. He told reporters that Obi’s frequent defections, first to the African Democratic Congress and then to the Nigeria Democratic Congress, are signs of a man who lacks the resilience and commitment required to lead a political movement. “If you are not ready to fight, stay at home. Do not go around looking for parties that will give you a free ticket. Leadership is not a journey of convenience,” Baba‑Ahmed declared, his voice heavy with emotion.
The former vice‑presidential candidate, who has remained within the Labour Party despite its internal crises, made it clear that his criticism is not personal but principled. He argued that the Labour Party gave Obi a platform when no other party would take him seriously. He recalled how the party’s structure, built by grassroots supporters and civil society groups, helped Obi secure over eight million votes in the 2023 election, making him the first third‑party candidate to come close to winning the presidency since Nigeria’s return to democracy. “We built that party together. We sweated, we sacrificed, we faced intimidation. And then when the battle became tough, he walked away. That is not leadership. That is abandonment,” Baba‑Ahmed said. He accused Obi of prioritizing personal ambition over the collective struggle, noting that the former governor of Anambra State has now moved to his fifth political party in less than a decade.
The rift between the two men has been brewing for months. After Obi’s departure from the Labour Party in 2024, Baba‑Ahmed remained, insisting that the movement was bigger than any single individual. He has since been working to rebuild the Labour Party’s structures, particularly in the North, where the party had gained significant traction during the last election. However, Obi’s recent decision to join the NDC alongside Rabiu Kwankwaso appears to have been the final straw for Baba‑Ahmed. In his Tuesday address, he accused Obi of aligning with politicians he once criticized, including Kwankwaso, whom Obi had publicly dismissed as part of the old political order. “Now he is holding hands with the very people he said were the problem. How do you explain that to the young men and women who were teargassed for him?” Baba‑Ahmed asked, his voice rising.
The former running mate also took aim at Obi’s justification for leaving the ADC, where Obi had claimed that “endless court cases, internal battles, suspicion, and division” made it impossible for him to stay. Baba‑Ahmed dismissed those reasons as excuses. “Every political party in Nigeria has court cases. Every party has internal disputes. The question is whether you stay and fight or you run. Peter Obi runs. He ran from APGA, from PDP, from LP, from ADC, and now he is in NDC. How many more parties will he join before he realises that the problem is not the party? The problem is that he is not a fighter,” he said.
Baba‑Ahmed’s comments have sparked a firestorm on social media, with supporters of Obi quickly rushing to his defence. Many argued that Obi’s decision to leave the Labour Party was justified because the party’s leadership, under Julius Abure, had allegedly become corrupt and hostile to Obi’s reform agenda. They also pointed out that Baba‑Ahmed himself has not been able to stabilize the Labour Party, which remains fractured and has lost several key lawmakers to the NDC in recent days. However, others agreed with Baba‑Ahmed, noting that Obi’s constant party switching raises legitimate questions about his political consistency and his ability to build lasting institutions.
In his speech, Baba‑Ahmed also addressed the recent defection of 17 House of Representatives members from the ADC to the NDC, a move that has strengthened Obi’s new platform. He warned those lawmakers that following a man who cannot stay in one party is a risky bet. “You are chasing shadows. Today he is in NDC, tomorrow he will be in another party. Mark my words,” he said. He urged Nigerians to focus on building strong, ideological parties rather than personal cults of personality. “The problem with our politics is that we follow individuals, not ideas. That is why we are stuck in this cycle of disappointment,” he added.
The Labour Party, under Baba‑Ahmed’s influence, has not yet officially responded to Obi’s defection to the NDC, but party insiders say a formal statement is being prepared. Meanwhile, the NDC has welcomed Obi and Kwankwaso, with Senator Seriake Dickson describing them as “very suitable suitors” for the party. The NDC has also gained significant legislative muscle, now boasting at least 18 federal lawmakers who have defected from the ADC and other parties. However, Baba‑Ahmed’s attack serves as a reminder that the opposition is far from united. With the 2027 elections approaching, the rivalry between Obi’s camp and those who stayed behind in the Labour Party could split the anti‑APC vote, handing President Bola Tinubu a significant advantage.
For now, Datti Baba‑Ahmed has made his position clear. He is staying in the Labour Party, and he is willing to fight. As for Peter Obi, his response to Baba‑Ahmed’s criticism is eagerly awaited. In a brief text message to journalists, Obi’s media aide said the former governor would not engage in a war of words with his former running mate, adding that Obi’s focus remains on building a coalition that can rescue Nigeria in 2027. But Baba‑Ahmed’s words have already landed. The question is whether they will wound or simply be ignored. As the sun set on Abuja on Tuesday, the political partnership that once gave millions hope lay in tatters, and the battle for the soul of the opposition had only just begun.
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