Datti Says Sympathy Influenced Decision to Run with Obi in 2023

Former Labour Party vice-presidential candidate, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, has revealed that sympathy for former presidential candidate Peter Obi played a major role in his decision to join the Labour Party ticket for the 2023 general election.

Baba-Ahmed made the disclosure during an interview with Symfoni, where he reflected on his political relationship with Obi and dismissed claims that he would automatically follow him into any future political platform.

According to him, Obi had approached three prominent politicians in 2022 in search of political alliances, but they allegedly declined to join him.

Baba-Ahmed said he was disappointed by the situation and felt compelled to support Obi’s presidential ambition.

“People don’t understand the relationship between me and Peter Obi. I have a great deal of sympathy for him, and this sympathy was at the core of our relationship,” he said.

“When Peter Obi approached three major politicians in 2022, they avoided him. I would have been glad if one of them had gone with him. They all avoided him. I felt bad for him and for Nigeria as a nation.”

The former senator, however, declined to reveal the identities of the politicians or the reasons they allegedly turned down Obi’s overtures.

He also dismissed suggestions that he would follow Obi to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) or any other political platform, stressing that he remains politically independent.

“They thought I would follow Peter Obi to ADC, but I had given enough sympathy then. Obi does not own me. I own my independence,” he stated.

Baba-Ahmed maintained that his support for the Labour Party ticket in 2023 was voluntary and based on what he believed was in the best interest of Nigeria.

Kano ADC Aspirants Reject Primaries

Meanwhile, some aspirants of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Kano State have rejected the party’s recently conducted primaries for the 2027 general elections, alleging that the exercise lacked credibility and violated internal democratic procedures.

The aggrieved aspirants made their position known during a press conference in Kano on Tuesday, where they challenged the legitimacy of the process that produced the party’s candidates.

Speaking on behalf of the group, Hon. Wada Masu said the aspirants did not recognise the outcome of the primaries, insisting that no valid election took place.

According to him, aspirants were still participating in the party’s screening exercise on May 21, 2026, the same day the primary elections were reportedly conducted.

“We called this press conference to formally express our deep concern and dissatisfaction regarding the purported primary elections said to have been conducted in Kano State on May 21, 2026,” Masu said.

He further claimed that the party’s elections committee invited all aspirants to a consensus meeting on May 22, with a promise that primaries would be conducted if consensus failed.

The aspirants argued that the development contradicted claims that a valid primary election had already taken place a day earlier.

They called on the national leadership of the ADC to investigate the matter and ensure a fair, transparent and lawful process, warning that failure to address their concerns could trigger avoidable disputes within the party.

“Our struggle is not against any individual, but for justice, transparency and the protection of democratic principles within our party,” the group stated.

The ADC leadership in Kano State had yet to respond to the allegations as of the time of filing this report.

Lawyers Challenge Chinda’s Defection to APC

In a related development, lawyers under the umbrella of the Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners (ALDRAP) have described the announcement of the defection of Rivers lawmaker, Kingsley Chinda, from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) as a “belated defection.”

The group said the development supports its ongoing legal challenge seeking to stop Chinda from contesting the 2027 Rivers State governorship election on the APC platform.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, had on Tuesday read Chinda’s letter of resignation from the PDP and defection to the APC during plenary.

The letter was dated April 23, 2026, indicating that Chinda had formally resigned from the PDP before participating in the APC governorship primary election in Rivers State on May 21, 2026.

ALDRAP, which has already instituted a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja, argued that the timing of the official announcement raises constitutional and electoral concerns.

In a letter addressed to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, the group requested access to the APC membership register in Rivers State as of May 10, 2026.

The association contended that Chinda’s nomination may have violated provisions of the Constitution and the Electoral Act, 2026, and urged INEC to scrutinise the circumstances surrounding his defection and emergence as the APC governorship candidate.

ALDRAP further cited a recent Court of Appeal judgment recognising the Emeka Beke-led faction as the legitimate APC leadership in Rivers State, arguing that Chinda’s registration with another faction raises additional legal questions.

The matter is expected to be determined by the court as political activities ahead of the 2027 general election continue to gather momentum.