Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, the running mate of Peter Obi in the 2023 presidential election, has stated that the opposition coalition under the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is filled with individuals harboring presidential ambitions.
Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) reports that the coalition includes high-profile political figures such as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, ex-Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, and former Senate President David Mark, among others.
In an interview with Trust TV, Baba-Ahmed warned that, while the coalition boasts strength in diversity, it risks failure if ambitions are not properly managed.
He pointed out that the ADC lacks a unifying figure like Bola Tinubu, who shelved his presidential ambition in 2007 to support Atiku, and again in 2015 to back Muhammadu Buhari.
“Ambitions have to be reduced and managed carefully for the coalition to stand the test of time in Nigeria’s political history,” he stated.
Baba-Ahmed emphasized that his comments were not a criticism of the coalition, but an honest assessment of the strategic gaps that could hinder its chances in 2027.
“If you do business as usual against a sitting government like Tinubu’s, the person will not win,” he said.
“To achieve an impossible feat, one truly needs an impossible strategy,” he added.
He further advised that fielding Atiku in 2027 would be unwise, as the ruling APC already understands how to counter his candidacy.
“If you bring Atiku, they know how to work against him. He is welcome to contest, and if he wins, we will support him,” Baba-Ahmed said.
“But you need a candidate they cannot predict, someone they don’t know how to attack. That is how to win an election.”
He concluded by urging the ADC to present a candidate with fresh energy, mass appeal, and political unpredictability, much like Buhari’s surprise emergence in 2015 under the APC banner.
