Former Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has advised Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to rein in his supporters and adopt a calmer, more strategic approach ahead of the 2027 elections.
Speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show on Thursday,
Baba-Ahmed said Obi and some of his supporters were not helping his political
prospects, stressing that unchecked attacks and insults could undermine his
chances within the democratic process.
He acknowledged Obi’s frequent engagement across the
country, describing him as one of the most travelled politicians in recent
times and commending his efforts to remain connected with grassroots
supporters.
However, he said Obi must now recognise the reality of
competing against experienced and “hardline politicians” who are equally
determined to secure party tickets.
Baba-Ahmed urged Obi to emulate former Vice President Atiku
Abubakar’s approach by publicly calling his supporters to order and
discouraging the trading of insults among political camps.
Baba-Ahmed: “I think Peter Obi, all these people and himself
are not helping his case. What he really needs to do, I think, is to go out and
soil his boots. I think he’s the most traveled politician I’ve seen in recent
times, and that’s good for him. He tried to stay in touch with grassroots,
which is good for him, but what he needs to do now is to really sit down with
these people and come to terms with the fact that he is now running against
hard line politicians who also have their eyes on the same thing that he has
his eyes on.
“What Vice President Atiku did in terms of saying to his
people, calm down. We don’t want to start trading insults with each other was
the right thing Peter Obi should do twice as much. I did a program two or three
days ago where I mentioned the fact that Peter Obi would lose 100 conventions.
You will be amazed at the number of people who commented and insulted me and
say, Oh, look at these people. How do they think Peter will line up behind
Atiku?
“I’m afraid, in the democratic process, that’s how it’s done
there. You can have a consensus candidate, but you need to have the consensus
of people like Atiku, maybe even Amaechi. And maybe there are one or two dark
horses who are working behind the scene. The problem, the point is that ADC’s
ticket is up for grabs, but it will be a very, very difficult task for anybody
to get it, other than President Atiku.”
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