Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, the 2023 vice-presidential candidate of the Labour Party, has expressed concern over the growing number of presidential hopefuls within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) opposition coalition.
In an interview with Trust TV, Baba-Ahmed noted that the coalition is crowded with high-profile politicians, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, ex-presidential candidate Peter Obi, former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, and former Senate President David Mark, among others.
He pointed out that unlike Bola Tinubu, who once stepped aside to support the ambitions of others like Atiku in 2007 and Muhammadu Buhari in 2015, the ADC lacks a figure willing to make such a sacrifice for the greater good of the coalition.
While acknowledging the coalition’s wealth of talent and resources, Baba-Ahmed warned that its greatest challenge lies in managing the competing ambitions of its members.
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“Ambitions have to be reduced and have to be managed carefully for it to stand the test of time in the history of Nigeria’s politics,” he said.
Baba-Ahmed insisted that he has not seen a clear strategy from the coalition leaders that could defeat Tinubu. He stressed that his submissions are not a criticism of the coalition.
“If you do business as usual against a seating government like Tinubu’s, the person would not win” he noted, stressing that there is a need to think outside the box.
“To achieve an impossible feat, one truly need an impossible strategy,” the former presidential running mate stated.
Highlighting the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Tinubu’s proven ability to counter Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Baba-Ahmed, advised the Action Democratic Congress (ADC) against nominating Atiku for the 2027 presidential election.
“If you bring Atiku, they [APC] know exactly how to campaign against him. And if he wins, of course, we will support him. However, what you truly need is a candidate they cannot anticipate, someone whose strategy they cannot decode. That is the path to winning an election,” Baba-Ahmed stated.
He further suggested that the ADC should present a candidate capable of securing victory in the 2027 elections, drawing a parallel to the APC’s successful strategy when Muhammadu Buhari emerged as their presidential candidate in 2015, catching opponents off guard.
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