Former Labour Party (LP) vice-presidential candidate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, has said he has no regrets about supporting Peter Obi in the 2023 presidential election.
Baba-Ahmed said his decision to run alongside Obi was driven by his belief in national unity, forgiveness and trust among Nigerians.
He spoke on Monday while delivering a keynote address at the second Bala AbdulKadir Mohammed Colloquium held at the Ahmadu Bello International Conference Centre in Bauchi.
The event was organised to mark the 68th birthday of Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed.
Reflecting on the 2023 presidential election, Baba-Ahmed said his decision to serve as Obi’s running mate was influenced by his belief that fundamental questions about Nigeria’s leadership and democratic future needed to be addressed.
He maintained that Obi was constitutionally qualified to contest the presidency and said his support for the former Anambra State governor was ultimately based on what he considered Nigeria’s need for unity.
“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.
“I stood for Nigeria in 2023 to need to show forgiveness, and unity, and trust in each other,” Baba-Ahmed said.
The former vice-presidential candidate also urged Nigerians to develop the courage to challenge oppression and injustice, arguing that leaders should not be praised merely to boost their egos.
According to him, appreciating leaders should also involve identifying and encouraging the qualities that make them capable of serving the people.
“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,” he said.
Baba-Ahmed further expressed concern over the state of Nigeria’s democracy, arguing that the separation of powers between the executive and legislative arms had been weakened.
He said the development had affected the National Assembly’s ability to effectively perform its constitutional responsibilities.
He consequently called on Nigerians to become more involved in demanding accountability from public officials and resist what he described as a system dominated 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.
Baba-Ahmed also condemned what he described as a growing culture of oppression, bullying and injustice in the country.
He said both political leaders and citizens had a responsibility to resist such tendencies.
“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 said.
He urged Nigerians to support public officials who speak out against injustice and defend citizens’ rights, even when doing so could put their political positions at risk.
