2027: Atiku has been vying for presidency since my NYSC days — Datti Baba-Ahmed

The Labour Party’s 2023 vice-presidential candidate, Dr. Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, has again called for a generational shift in Nigeria’s political leadership, saying the country urgently needs new leaders to address its challenges.

He argued that Nigeria needs a new generation of leaders, noting that many capable citizens are willing to address the country’s challenges but are discouraged by what he described as an expensive and difficult political system dominated by godfathers and unfulfilled promises.

Baba-Ahmed made this known during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Friday, where he reflected on his long political journey alongside former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar.

According to him, Atiku had been contesting for the presidency as far back as when he was serving in the National Youth Service Corps.

“When I was doing my NYSC, Baba Atiku was an aspirant, and in 2018 we contested primaries together,” he said.

• 2026 WEF: FG establishes Nigeria house in Davos
• I remain in PDP but keenly monitoring developments — Senator Dickson
• Police nab six suspected kidnappers, rescue victims in Nasarawa
• Traffic gridlock as multiple-vehicle crashes on Lagos-Ibadan expressway + Video
• Tech innovator, Hanu donates AI-powered glasses to hearing impaired Nigerians

He recalled that he again faced Atiku during the 2023 general election.

“In 2023, we contested again. I, as a vice president elsewhere, when his vice president had left him. And for God’s sake, in 2027 again?” Datti said.

“There is a need for a new generation of Nigerian leaders, and they do exist. A whole new generation is waiting for a new leader to lead them to a new party.

“There are good Nigerians capable of solving Nigeria’s problems, but they are discouraged by an expensive, difficult and treacherous system filled with godfathers and broken promises.”

The Labour Party chieftain also dismissed claims that he had declared interest in contesting the 2027 presidential election.

He clarified that he only reaffirmed his membership of the Labour Party and did not announce any presidential ambition.

“I never declared to contest the presidency, even though there could be a possibility of that happening. I certainly did not declare for the presidency. I simply reiterated my membership of the Labour Party,” he said.

Baba-Ahmed added that decisions on future elections would depend on the timetable of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the position of the party, urging the public to ignore what he described as sensational narratives circulating on social media.

Follow The Eagle Online Channel on WhatsApp

[wpadcenter_ad id='745970' align='none']