Datti Baba-Ahmed, the former Labour Party vice-presidential candidate, stated that Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar functioned as office seekers rather than true opposition leaders. He made the remarks during a recent television interview on June 4, 2026.
Baba-Ahmed explained his view clearly. “Peter Obi and Atiku are not opposition but mere office seekers,” he said. He added that genuine opposition required active and technical engagement with the government on every action.
The former senator described opposition as a continuous process. He noted that real opposition leaders challenged the ruling government daily, not only during election periods. Baba-Ahmed pointed out that consistent pressure could have forced better governance and addressed issues like insecurity.
He argued that many politicians switched parties only when seeking new offices. “These people have been in the ruling parties before,” Baba-Ahmed said. He challenged viewers to identify prominent figures who had never served in a governing party.
Baba-Ahmed maintained a respectful tone toward his former principal, Peter Obi. He confirmed that the two still shared a good relationship and hoped for future collaboration. However he criticized the pattern of politicians leaving parties amid challenges instead of fixing them.
The comments came amid discussions on the 2027 elections. Baba-Ahmed urged sustained accountability from political actors. He stressed that the Nigerian state faced easy capture because of weak opposition structures.
Baba-Ahmed highlighted the need for politicians to provide checks on power beyond election cycles. His statements reflected ongoing debates about the nature of opposition in Nigeria’s political system. He positioned himself as one of the few who avoided ruling parties throughout his career.
