After many crises at the Labour Party, Datti Baba-Ahmed, who was the Labour Party’s vice-presidential candidate in the 2023 election alongside Peter Obi, formally declared his intention to run for president in the 2027 election. He made this announcement at a rally held at the Labour Party national secretariat in Abuja.
His declaration comes just about a week after Peter Obi left the Labour Party for the African Democratic Congress (ADC), a move that’s sparked debate about the future of the Labour Party and the wider opposition landscape.
Datti Baba-Ahmed says his presidential ambition is independent of Peter Obi’s decisions and predates the 2023 election cycle.
He stressed that he’s not “following anyone’s trajectory or stepping into anybody’s shoes”, signaling an attempt to assert his own political identity.
He also reminded supporters that he had previously sought a presidential nomination in an earlier party before joining the Labour Party.
Labour Party officials, including national chairman Julius Abure, praised Datti for staying with the party despite defections and uncertainties framing his move as a show of loyalty and unity.
With Peter Obi exiting the Labour Party, Datti Baba-Ahmed’s bid represents one of the first significant leadership positioning moves within the party ahead of 2027 signifying early jockeying for influence.
His move is part of a growing trend where former running mates and senior party figures are carving out their own presidential aspirations, rather than waiting in the wings under a dominant candidate like Obi.
Baba-Ahmed publicly addressed concerns about religion and ethnicity, framing his candidacy as a national unifier that appealed beyond narrow identity politics.
Datti stated :
If I become the president, the police, the army, and the teachers will earn no less than four times their current pay by June 2027. I’m my own boss, I contested for the presidency before Peter Obi in 2019. Records are available. I'm the only politician who has never been in the ruling party in Nigeria.