Datti Baba-Ahmed: Peter Obi Did Not Drop Me, I Left Because He Had No Plan for Nigeria

Datti Baba-Ahmed, former running mate to Peter Obi in the 2023 presidential election, has dismissed claims that Obi abandoned him, insisting that he was the one who walked away because he believed Obi did not have a clear plan for Nigeria.

Baba-Ahmed also offered a striking assessment of the 2027 political contest, saying he would not deliberately promote Obi or former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar at the expense of President Bola Tinubu. He said his position was rooted in fairness, even though Tinubu remains a political opponent.

Datti Baba-Ahmed Says He Left Peter Obi

Datti Baba-Ahmed said the narrative that Peter Obi dropped him was incorrect, arguing that he personally decided to leave the political partnership because of concerns about Obi’s direction for the country.

According to Datti, he told Obi on January 1, 2024, that he needed to present a clear plan for Nigeria. He said he had not heard what he considered a sufficiently clear plan from the former Anambra State governor and therefore chose to distance himself from the political arrangement.

Despite the disagreement, Datti maintained that his criticism should not be interpreted as a rejection of Obi as a person. He said Obi was aware that he had stood firmly behind him and added that he still supports him, although he regrets some of the political decisions Obi has made.

Datti Baba-Ahmed Refuses to Unduly Promote Obi or Atiku

Datti Baba-Ahmed also explained why he would not use his political platform to unnecessarily promote Peter Obi, Atiku Abubakar or other opposition figures while President Tinubu remains in the contest.

“I will not disadvantage him to unnecessarily promote Baba Atiku and Peter Obi and others,” Datti said, stressing that he believes political competition should still be guided by fairness.

He further described Tinubu as a “key opponent” and said he did not want to “unduly disadvantage” the President by deliberately boosting another candidate. The position is particularly notable given Datti’s previous role as Obi’s running mate and his continued public association with the Labour Party presidential campaign of 2023.

Datti’s comments introduce an unusual dimension to the emerging 2027 contest, where political alliances and former partnerships are increasingly being reassessed. His declaration that he left Obi rather than being dropped could also reignite debate among supporters over what happened to the Obi-Datti political partnership after the 2023 election.

For OGM News NG, Datti Baba-Ahmed’s latest position leaves Nigerians with a striking political paradox: he says Peter Obi has no clear plan for Nigeria, still maintains that he stands by Obi, and at the same time refuses to promote Obi because he does not want to unfairly disadvantage President Tinubu.