Adebayo tells Datti to limit assessment to presidential hopefuls he knows

Adewole Adebayo has pushed back against Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed’s sweeping judgment of opposition politicians preparing to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 election.

Baba-Ahmed, the Labour Party’s vice-presidential candidate in 2023, recently said none of the opposition contenders, including his former principal Peter Obi, had the capacity to improve Nigeria. He also advised Tinubu to prepare to hand over power, arguing that opposition politicians remained tied to the established political class.

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He can’t be talking about people like us, whom he has not dealt with.

Speaking on Arise News’ News Night, Adebayo said Baba-Ahmed was speaking from his own experience and should not extend that assessment to politicians he had never dealt with. “He can’t be talking about people like us, whom he has not dealt with,” Adebayo said.

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Maybe his experience with Governor Peter Obi has convinced him that that one cannot make a good president, but I think he can’t include me.

The Social Democratic Party’s 2023 presidential candidate suggested that Baba-Ahmed’s view may have been shaped by his dealings with Obi and other members of the Peoples Democratic Party. “Maybe his experience with Governor Peter Obi has convinced him that that one cannot make a good president,” Adebayo said, adding that Baba-Ahmed “can’t include me.”

Adebayo challenged the television programme to ask Baba-Ahmed directly whether his criticism included him. “So you need to bring him to your studio and ask him if that includes me. I don’t think so,” he said.

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So you need to bring him to your studio and ask him if that includes me. I don’t think so.