Former Labour Party vice-presidential candidate Datti Baba-Ahmed has revealed that his decision to join Peter Obi’s 2023 presidential campaign was driven more by sympathy and concern for Nigeria than by political alignment.
Speaking during an interview with Symfoni, excerpts of which surfaced online on Wednesday, Baba-Ahmed said he accepted the vice-presidential ticket after several prominent politicians reportedly declined Obi’s invitation to be his running mate.
According to him, he felt compelled to support the former Anambra State governor after witnessing what he described as repeated rejections from other political figures.
“There’s a great deal of sympathy between me and Peter Obi. I have sympathy for him,” Baba-Ahmed said.
He disclosed that Obi had approached three major politicians in 2021 in search of a running mate, but none agreed to join him.
“I would have been happy if one of them had gone with Peter Obi in 2022, but they all avoided him. I felt bad for him, and I felt bad for Nigeria as a nation. Naturally, I have always been a volunteer for the sake of Nigeria, so I extended that sympathy,” he stated.
Baba-Ahmed, who left the Labour Party for the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) in May 2026, also used the interview to distance himself politically from his former running mate.
He stressed that while he supported Obi during the 2023 election, the former presidential candidate does not determine his political decisions.
“People thought I would simply follow Peter Obi. But I had given enough sympathy there. With due respect, he does not own my politics. He does not own me. I am independent,” Baba-Ahmed declared.
The former senator also criticised Obi’s decision to leave the Labour Party, arguing that internal disputes within the party were not sufficient grounds for defection.
Obi had cited the Labour Party’s lingering internal crisis as the reason for his departure before later joining other political platforms.
Questioning the rationale behind the move, Baba-Ahmed argued that leadership challenges exist in every political party.
“If Julius Abure was a problem, what makes him think the leadership of ADC or NDC will not become a problem? It is the same thing wherever you go. Stay and fix the problem. Let us work together,” he said.
Despite their previous alliance, Baba-Ahmed maintained that his political journey remains independent, reiterating that he is not obligated to follow Obi’s choices.