Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, the 2023 vice-presidential candidate of the Labour Party, has weighed in on the emerging opposition coalition under the African Democratic Congress (ADC), warning that despite its political firepower, the alliance may lack the strategic depth needed to unseat President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
Speaking in an interview with Trust TV, Baba-Ahmed noted that the coalition is packed with individuals nursing presidential ambitions, a dynamic that could undermine its unity and long-term viability.
“Ambitions have to be reduced and have to be managed carefully for it to stand the test of time in the history of Nigeria’s politics,” he said.
The coalition features several political heavyweights, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Labour Party candidate Peter Obi, ex-Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, and ex-Senate President David Mark, among others.
Baba-Ahmed observed that, unlike President Tinubu—who notably sacrificed his ambition in 2007 for Atiku and in 2015 for Muhammadu Buhari—there is no such unifying figure within the ADC capable of managing competing interests.
While acknowledging that the coalition has significant resources and options, he expressed concern over the lack of a clear, winning strategy.
“If you do business as usual against a sitting government like Tinubu’s, the person would not win,” he warned. “To achieve an impossible feat, one truly needs an impossible strategy.”
He further argued that fielding a familiar face like Atiku in 2027 may not yield the desired result, as the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) already knows how to counter him.
“If you bring Atiku, they know how to work against Atiku, and he is welcome to win. If he wins, we will support him. You need that candidate they can’t understand, they don’t know where to catch— that is how to win an election,” he stated.
Datti Baba-Ahmed urged the ADC to learn from APC’s 2015 success, when the party strategically fielded Buhari, a candidate who resonated deeply with the electorate. He maintained that a fresh and unpredictable candidate could be the game-changer needed for the 2027 general election.
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