The presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, Adewole Adebayo, has rejected former Labour Party vice-presidential candidate Datti Baba-Ahmed’s assessment that none of the major contenders in the 2027 presidential election has the capacity to improve Nigeria.
Baba-Ahmed, who was Peter Obi’s running mate in the 2023 presidential election, made the remarks during an appearance on the Mic On Podcast.
He advised President Bola Tinubu to prepare to leave office in 2027 but argued that the president should not hand over power to the opposition figures currently seeking to replace him.
Baba-Ahmed said, in his assessment, that none of the leading contenders would improve the country, pointing to their previous political associations and experiences.
He also referenced Peter Obi’s previous membership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, while discussing the political history of some of the contenders.
Reacting during an interview on Arise TV’s News Night, Adebayo said Baba-Ahmed’s assessment should be limited to politicians with whom he had personal experience.
According to Adebayo, Baba-Ahmed could not make the same judgment about candidates with whom he had not worked.
“Senator Datti is talking from experience, the intimate relationship with people he has dealt with, so limit it to that. He can’t be talking about people like us, whom he has not dealt with,” Adebayo said.
The SDP candidate suggested that Baba-Ahmed’s experience with Obi may have influenced his assessment of the other presidential contenders.
Adebayo also noted that Baba-Ahmed had previously been associated with the PDP, arguing that his political experience could have shaped his view of the current crop of candidates.
“He was in the PDP before, so he knows them, but I think he can’t include me,” Adebayo said.
The exchange comes as political parties and presidential hopefuls begin positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 general election, with questions over leadership capacity, economic policy and the ability of prospective candidates to address Nigeria’s challenges becoming increasingly prominent.
The development underscores the importance of voters examining the records, policy proposals, experience and capacity of presidential candidates as the 2027 election approaches.
With political parties and aspirants positioning themselves for the election, debates over who can best address Nigeria’s economic, security and social challenges are expected to intensify.
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