The Director of New Media and Strategic Communications of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Theo Abu Agada, has called on former Labour Party vice-presidential candidate Datti Baba-Ahmed to stop attacking the party’s 2027 presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
Agada accused Baba-Ahmed of repeatedly criticising and undermining Obi following the former Anambra State governor’s decision to select former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso as his running mate ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The NDC spokesperson urged Baba-Ahmed to accept Obi’s decision and move forward rather than continue speaking against the party’s presidential candidate.
Agada made the call in a statement shared on his X account on Monday.
According to him, Baba-Ahmed has continued to use different public platforms to express his disagreement with Obi since the announcement of Kwankwaso as the NDC’s vice-presidential candidate.
He argued that the decision on who would serve as Obi’s running mate had been made and should therefore be respected by all concerned.
Agada wrote:
“Since the presidential candidate of our great party, the NDC, His Excellency Peter Obi, made the idealistic and pragmatic decision to choose His Excellency Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso as his running mate, Datti Baba-Ahmed has been going from one platform to another, attacking and undermining him.
“The NDC will raise the living standards of Nigerians far better than the APC is doing. That is why we are pleading with Nigerians to vote massively for all our candidates in 2027.
“Datti needs to move on. Obi has made his decision, and Datti should respect it.”
Agada also used the opportunity to promote the NDC’s political agenda ahead of the 2027 general election, claiming that the party would improve the living standards of Nigerians if elected.
He urged Nigerians to support the NDC and vote for its candidates in the forthcoming elections, contrasting the party’s promised approach with the performance of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The latest statement followed comments attributed to Baba-Ahmed in which he disclosed that Obi had previously ignored some of his advice.
Baba-Ahmed, who served as Obi’s running mate under the Labour Party in the 2023 presidential election, reportedly made the revelation while discussing his relationship with the former Anambra governor and developments surrounding the 2027 election.
He also reportedly expressed doubts about the ability of opposition figures challenging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027 to fundamentally transform Nigeria.
Baba-Ahmed was quoted as saying that none of the politicians currently positioning themselves as challengers to Tinubu, including Obi, could change Nigeria.
His comments appear to have intensified the disagreement between supporters of the former Labour Party presidential and vice-presidential ticket, particularly following Obi’s movement into the NDC political platform.
Obi and Kwankwaso are now at the centre of the NDC’s preparations for the 2027 presidential election, with the party seeking to present itself as an alternative to the APC and other major political platforms.
The choice of Kwankwaso as Obi’s running mate has generated significant political discussion, given Kwankwaso’s political influence, particularly in Kano and parts of Northern Nigeria.
Baba-Ahmed’s reaction to the development has also attracted attention because of his previous political partnership with Obi during the 2023 presidential election.
The two politicians jointly contested the election under the Labour Party, with their campaign attracting substantial support, particularly among young Nigerians.
However, the political landscape has since changed, with Obi joining the NDC and preparing for another presidential bid in 2027.
Agada’s latest intervention suggests that the NDC leadership is keen to prevent continued criticism of its presidential candidate from becoming a distraction ahead of the election.
With the 2027 presidential contest expected to attract several major political figures and alliances, disagreements among former political allies are likely to remain a subject of public interest as parties position themselves for the election.
For now, Agada has made it clear that the NDC expects Baba-Ahmed to accept Obi’s decision and move on, while the party continues its preparations for the 2027 presidential election.
