Datti: Only God can stop Tinubu’s re-election

Former Labour Party (LP) vice-presidential candidate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, has stated that only God can prevent President Bola Tinubu from securing re-election in the 2027 presidential election. In an interview with TrustTV, Baba-Ahmed, who was the running mate to Peter Obi in the 2023 presidential election, discussed the political landscape ahead of the 2027 general elections and analysed the strengths, strategies and records of major contenders.

While acknowledging the president's political organisation and ability to build alliances, Baba-Ahmed disagreed with several of Tinubu’s policies. He highlighted Tinubu’s years of strategic political organisation, including his role in the political realignment that preceded the 2015 presidential election, when opposition parties formed the All Progressives Congress (APC) and defeated the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) with Muhammadu Buhari as the party’s presidential candidate.

Baba-Ahmed contrasted Tinubu’s approach with that of Atiku Abubakar, suggesting Atiku’s resistance to similar strategies may have contributed to his inability to adopt them. He described Tinubu’s 2023 presidential election victory as a significant achievement, stating he "won a lottery with 16 digits". Baba-Ahmed further described Tinubu as having an overwhelming influence over Nigeria’s political environment, claiming the president had "overpowered almost everyone".

The opposition, according to Baba-Ahmed, is currently disorganised and suggests that Tinubu may not only be able to influence opposition parties but also prevent them from forming a strong alliance against him. Baba-Ahmed made a bold prediction about Tinubu's chances in the 2027 presidential election, stating that if the president says something will happen, only God Almighty can stop it.

When asked if his assessment was a compliment or criticism of Tinubu, Baba-Ahmed stated it was open to interpretation, adding, "Nigeria now belongs to Tinubu".