Former Labour Party vice-presidential candidate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, has said he has no regrets about being Peter Obi’s running mate in the 2023 presidential election, insisting that the decision was based on the need to promote unity, forgiveness and trust in Nigeria.
Baba-Ahmed spoke on Monday while delivering a keynote
address at the second edition of the Bala AbdulKadir Mohammed Colloquium, held
at the Ahmadu Bello International Conference Centre, Bauchi, to commemorate the
68th birthday of Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed.
Reflecting on the 2023 election, Baba-Ahmed said his
decision to support Obi was driven by his conviction that fundamental questions
about Nigeria’s leadership and democratic future needed to be addressed.
He said, “Up till today, I have no regrets supporting Peter
Obi. Fundamental questions were answered. He is a Nigerian, he is in the
constitutional line to sit. That is the doctrine. In the same way that Nora
stood for the doctrine of necessity because people’s rights were threatened,
society’s fate was questioned. I stood for Nigeria in 2023 to need to show
forgiveness, and unity, and trust in each other.”
The former vice-presidential candidate said Nigerians must
also develop the courage to oppose oppression and injustice, stressing that
leaders should not merely be celebrated but encouraged to use their positions
to protect the people.
He said, “There is a duty in appreciating leaders. Why you
appreciate leaders is not to massage their ego. What is even more important is
to educate others to appreciate, understand, see, and imbibe those single
qualities. Nigeria is in need of leaders.”
Baba-Ahmed also spoke about the state of Nigeria’s
democracy, saying the separation of powers between the executive and
legislative arms of government had been weakened, leaving the National Assembly
struggling to effectively perform its constitutional role.
He said Nigerians must begin to stand up for themselves and
demand a system that genuinely serves the people, rather than one controlled by
a few powerful individuals.
“Why can’t the Nigerian people unite? Why can’t the Nigerian
people work together? Why can’t the Nigerian people not stand for themselves,
stand for themselves, fight for themselves?” he asked.
He further called for an end to what he described as the
growing culture of oppression, saying both leaders and citizens had a
responsibility to confront injustice.
Baba-Ahmed said, “The point is that we detest oppression. We
detest cheating. We hate bullying. We need leaders that will stop it. Because
now, oppression is getting into the DNA of Nigeria. Accepting oppression is
getting into the DNA of Nigerian people.”
He also urged Nigerians to support leaders who are willing
to speak against injustice, saying the country would benefit from public
officials who could defend the rights of citizens even when doing so could put
their positions at risk.
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