Senator Datti Baba-Ahmed, the Labour Party’s Vice Presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, on Wednesday officially announced his intention to contest the 2027 presidential election, amid ongoing shifts within Nigeria’s opposition landscape.

Baba-Ahmed, who was the running mate to former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, made this declaration at a rally held at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.

The announcement comes just a week after Obi left the Labour Party to join the African Democratic Congress (ADC), a move that has sparked debates over the party’s future and the broader direction of the opposition ahead of the next general election.

Speaking to party members and supporters, Baba-Ahmed emphasized that his presidential ambition is independent of Obi’s political decisions and predates the 2023 election.

He described his candidacy as forward-looking rather than reactionary, aiming to present a clear alternative for Nigerians in 2027.

Baba-Ahmed told supporters: “I have made myself to contest for the office in 2027. I’m not following anybody’s trajectory or stepping into anybody’s shoes.

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“Can I please remind you that before His Excellency Governor Peter Obi filed for the presidency, I aspired for the presidency before him? The records are there for you to see.”

The former lawmaker also highlighted his previous attempt to secure a presidential ticket, noting that he had contested in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries years before joining forces with Obi in the Labour Party.

Baba-Ahmed recalled his earlier political experience, saying: “In October 2018, I participated in the primaries of the then PDP in Port Harcourt and walked to Obi for his vote, and he smiled at me. What a gentleman he was.

“If you heard me well in what I just submitted, I saw a rare opportunity for national unity to have elected Peter Obi in 2023. And that is why I decided to flow with it.”

Addressing concerns about religion and ethnicity, he emphasized that Nigeria’s constitution grants every qualified citizen the right to seek elective office.

“Yes, I am a practising Muslim. But I’m a Nigerian, and the constitution allows me to contest. You asked about my ethnicity.

“Yes, I am a Hausa man, and the Nigerian constitution also allows me to contest. I’m doing this because Nigeria needs help,” he said.

Baba-Ahmed also stressed his commitment to party rules and electoral guidelines.

“However, as a law-abiding citizen and a loyal party member, until the timetable is released by INEC and the leadership of the Labour Party calls for interested aspirants, I will not say anything about it. But remember I told you that Nigerians know the truth,” he added.

In response, the Labour Party National Chairman, Julius Abure, commended Baba-Ahmed for staying in the party despite speculation that he might defect following Obi’s exit.

The Labour Party (LP) National Chairman, Julius Abure, has praised Senator Datti Baba-Ahmed for remaining in the party despite speculation following Peter Obi’s defection to the African Democratic Congress.

Abure said the development reflects the party’s continued cohesion, noting that other key figures, including Abia State Governor Alex Otti, have also chosen to stay.

“Only recently, Governor Alex Otti told the world that he joined the party before Peter Obi did – and he confirmed he would not defect with Obi,” Abure said.

“On the night Peter Obi left the party, I received a call from our 2023 Vice-Presidential candidate, Dr. Datti Baba-Ahmed.

He told me he was staying because the Labour Party was the platform on which he and the former presidential candidate received 10 million votes from Nigerians, later reduced to six million. We all know what happened.”

Abure also revealed that Baba-Ahmed personally proposed a meeting of party leaders and members to reaffirm unity within the LP.

“He suggested organising an event at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel with a few senior members, offering to cover the expenses himself.

“I recommended that we hold it here at the party secretariat instead, inviting members, artisans, and ordinary supporters who truly own the party, and he agreed. That is why we are gathering here today,” Abure said.

“The Labour Party is intact, we will not let Nigerians down. We will remain together and continue to provide a genuine alternative for Nigerians,” he added.

Baba-Ahmed’s announcement introduces a new dynamic to the emerging 2027 presidential contest, as parties begin early positioning amid shifting alliances within the opposition.