Former Labour Party (LP) vice-presidential candidate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, says only God can stop President Bola Ahmed Tinubu from securing re-election in the 2027 presidential election.
Baba-Ahmed made the remarks in an interview with TrustTV while assessing the political landscape ahead of the 2027 general elections and discussing the strengths, strategies and political records of some of the major contenders.
The former vice-presidential candidate, who was the running mate to Peter Obi in the 2023 presidential election, said although he disagreed with several of Tinubu’s policies, he acknowledged the president’s longstanding political organisation and ability to build alliances.
According to him, Tinubu’s political influence was not built overnight but was the result of years of strategic political organisation.
“Even though I don’t entirely agree with him, he did what others were not able to do. He organised for 16 years, not just plan,” Baba-Ahmed said.
“He organised for 16 years against all odds, he brought in Buhari from retirement. Buhari is from across the Niger. He stood for that.”
Baba-Ahmed was referring to Tinubu’s role in the political realignment that preceded the 2015 presidential election, when opposition parties came together to form the All Progressives Congress (APC), which defeated the then-ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), with Muhammadu Buhari emerging as the party’s presidential candidate.
He said Tinubu’s willingness to pursue difficult political strategies and build alliances over an extended period contributed significantly to his eventual emergence as president in 2023.
Baba-Ahmed contrasted Tinubu’s political approach with that of Atiku Abubakar, the former vice-president and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), suggesting that Atiku may not have been able to adopt similar strategies because of the influence and resistance of people within his political circle.
He described Tinubu’s victory in the 2023 presidential election as an extraordinary political achievement, saying the president had effectively “won a lottery with 16 digits”.
Baba-Ahmed further described Tinubu as having an exceptionally strong grip on Nigeria’s political environment, claiming that the president had “overpowered almost everyone”.
He also criticised the state of the opposition ahead of the 2027 election, describing it as disorganised and suggesting that Tinubu’s political influence extends beyond his own party.
According to him, the president may be capable of influencing developments within opposition parties and preventing them from forming a strong alliance against him.
“He (Tinubu) will not allow them (opposition) to come together. He probably actually chooses candidates in the opposition parties. He installs leadership in those political parties. He does what you and I cannot imagine,” Baba-Ahmed said.
He went further to make a strong prediction about Tinubu’s chances in the 2027 presidential election.
“If Tinubu says something will happen, only God Almighty can stop it. If he says to be declared in 2027, only God Almighty can stop it. I’m telling you this,” he said.
When asked whether his assessment of Tinubu was intended as a compliment or criticism of the president, Baba-Ahmed said it was open to interpretation.
“It is anybody’s business to interpret it anyhow. I only state the facts. And the fact is Nigeria now belongs to Tinubu,” he said.
Baba-Ahmed’s comments come as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections, with opposition politicians and political parties working to build alliances and position themselves for the presidential contest.
The former LP vice-presidential candidate has remained critical of the political direction of the country and has previously commented on the prospects of Tinubu and his potential challengers in 2027.
Recently, Baba-Ahmed, who contested the 2023 presidential election alongside Peter Obi on the Labour Party platform, said none of the politicians seeking to challenge Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election currently has the capacity to move Nigeria forward.
(Daily Trust)
