Obi and Atiku Seek Office, Not Opposition Leadership – Baba‑Ahmed

Former Labour Party vice‑presidential candidate Yusuf Datti Baba‑Ahmed has criticised prominent opposition figures in Nigeria, including Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar, calling them “office seekers” rather than true opposition leaders.

Speaking on Trust TV’s Daily Politics, Baba‑Ahmed questioned how opposition politicians have responded to the deteriorating security situation in parts of the country, especially after recent bomb blasts in Borno State.

He argued that genuine opposition leadership requires direct engagement with citizens affected by insecurity, rather than distant commentary.

“Before he (Tinubu) went to the UK, there were two deadly bomb blasts in Borno. Tell me, in all these opposition leaders, who has led us to go and walk on the streets of Maiduguri?” he asked.

Baba‑Ahmed recalled how President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the late former President Muhammadu Buhari visited Maiduguri during the height of the insurgency years ago, noting that such visits demonstrated solidarity with affected communities.

“Is that not what Tinubu and the late Baba Buhari did in 2013 or 2014? They went and walked on the streets of Maiduguri, shaking hands with people and all that,” he said.

The former vice‑presidential candidate contended that many opposition figures have limited their interventions to social media statements instead of taking practical steps to align with victims of insecurity.

“No, it’s not enough that they are tweeting about it, that’s child’s play. They are not opposition members, they are office seekers,” Baba‑Ahmed stated.

While expressing disappointment with the broader opposition movement, he singled out former Rivers State governor and ex‑Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi for praise.

“There is an outlier among them. I’ve always told you, if I have my way, Amaechi is an excellent material, but I don’t have my way,” he said.

Baba‑Ahmed also revisited his political relationship with Obi, revealing that he had disagreed with some of the former Anambra governor’s political decisions.

“I’ve been in support of Peter LP in any case, but Peter left where I said he should leave. He went somewhere and he left again where I told him was not suitable for him,” he added.

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