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PETER OBI’s Running Mate, DATTI BABA-AHMED
What many thought was a cold war going on between two great political allies, Peter Obi and Datti Baba-Ahmed, may not be so after all. While some dismissed the speculation, describing it as merely nothing no more than political differences, others feared it may be much deeper than that. This is because Peter Obi, former presidential flag bearer of the Labour Party and his running mate at the last presidential elections, Senator Datti Baba-Ahmed appeared to have been quietly managing their relationship that looked to have been strained largely due to political ideologies and aspirations that no longer align.
And again, for sometime now, many observed that these two erstwhile friends and political associates have not been seen together in public frequently, like they used to be about a year or so ago. They attended political gatherings together and shared same political ideologies. Datti Baba-Ahmed always acknowleged Peter Obi as his principal and very rarely mentioned his name without adding ‘His Excellency’ as a mark of respect. It was when people felt both of them had drifted apart that tongues started wagging.
According to City People findings, two major reasons accounted for why people thought Datti Baba-Ahmed and Peter Obi were both engulfed in a frosty relationship. The first one had to do with the internal crisis that consumed the Labour Party. Then, the party had broken into two major factions – the Abure led faction and the Senator Nenadi Usman led faction. Inexplicably, Peter Obi chose to pitch tent with the Nenadi Usman faction while Datti Baba-Ahmed chose to stay with the Abure faction of the party. And this got people wondering, how come Peter Obi could not talk Datti Baba-Ahmed to join him in the Nenadi group, considering he, Peter Obi, was the one that brought Baba-Ahmed to the Labour Party? And why couldn’t Baba –Ahmed too persuade Peter Obi to stay with him in the Abure faction where they started of from, if all was indeed well with their relationship? And before they could find ant meaningful resolution to the crisis and iron out their political differences, Peter Obi walked away from the Labour Party leaving his former running mate behind. He officially announced his defection to the ADC last weeek Wednesday amid fanfare in Enugu.
Many will recall that when the ADC came up with its coalition project, Datti Baba-Ahmed was very critical of both the individuals involved in the coalition and the very idea behind the coalition. He once attended one of the early ADC conferences and publicly expressed the fact that he was not impressed with what he saw. It did not matter to him that Peter Obi, his former political ally, was already considering joining forces with the coalition at the time, he went on to knock the ADC and its coalition and said categorically that he will not be a part of it. And from that moment till now, he has remained resolute in his perception of the ADC, vowing never to have anything to do with them.
Few days ago, Datti-Baba-Ahmed had to come out to explain that there was nothing wrong with his relationship with Peter Obi. He affirmed that they are still as close as they used to be, revealing that Obi attended the wedding of one of his children held in his house in person. He also explained why he chose not join Peter Obi in ADC.
When asked why he did not join Peter Obi in the ADC, Baba-Ahmed replied: “Peter Obi did not invite me to join him in the ADC. People know me; there are certain things you would rather not approach me with. Our personal relationship remains solid. On the 12th, he attended a wedding in my house, in person. I supported Peter Obi’s presidential ambition with all my heart and mind because, at that time, it was the right thing to do. In 2027, a northerner can be elected. The North did not start this; the South did.”
“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.”
When asked if there was a chance he could reconsider joining ADC at some point later, he answered: “Almost everyone in the ADC today, except Peter Obi, are people who helped establish the APC that is misruling Nigeria. Why should I walk into that trap again?
There are individuals I respect greatly, Atiku Abubakar, for instance. Amaechi is a fighter, a lion, an achiever. With the right environment and allies, he can do well. But aside from Obi, the ADC is made up of the same APC actors of 2015.
They do not have a Buhari. They do not have a Tinubu, who was focused, determined, resourced and experienced. They also do not have a Jonathan figure. These three factors alone are enough for me to stay away.
Most importantly, these are the people who created the APC dragon that is destroying Nigeria today. Nothing has fundamentally changed about them. One of them is in prison.”
If Peter Obi were to call him today and ask him to join him (Obi) in the ADC, what would he tell him?
“With due respect, I would decline. When he ought to have invited me, he did not. We only met at the sole conference I attended, and that was the day I hoped to be convinced. I was not. Even then, I shared my reservations with him.
But this is a hypothetical question. Let Peter Obi first secure the ADC ticket. You saw who went to pick him up; you know what I mean. At that high table in Enugu, there was one person who dressed differently, sitting to the right. I do not need to mention his name. He is a master politician—the one who led Peter Obi into the ADC. I wish my boss, Peter Obi, well in the hands of such people. Let him get the ticket.
In 2018, I went to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and laid out my reasons. After about an hour, he asked me, “Do you want to be president?” I said, by God’s grace. He asked, “In the PDP?” I said, by Allah’s will. He told me, “Go and get the ticket and come back.” He knew I would not come back. He knew I would not get the ticket. He is a master politician. So now, I say to Peter Obi: go and get the ticket and come back.
If they are holding him responsible for denying them victory in 2023, remember there was no ADC of this nature then. Atiku was in the PDP and is now in the ADC. Others were also there. Do you think they have forgotten?
Peter Obi was Atiku’s running mate, left, picked the Labour Party ticket and split the votes, as they see it. Now, after 2023, after denying Atiku his 34-year ambition, he returns. When I was doing my NYSC, Baba Waziri was already an aspirant. In 2018, we contested primaries together. In 2023, I was a vice-presidential candidate. God knows what 2027 will bring. And now Peter Obi comes to say it is still zoned to the South and should be left there for him to get the ticket. Do you think they will accept that? Just this morning, Atiku said he is not stepping down for anyone.
I think it is very unlikely that Peter Obi will secure the ticket. If he does, I will be happy for him.”
–WALE LAWAL
(08037209290)
