The presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party, Adewole Adebayo, has rejected the claim by former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi’s running mate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, that none of the major contenders in the 2027 presidential election has the capacity to transform Nigeria.
Adebayo said Baba-Ahmed’s assessment may have been shaped by his personal experiences with politicians he had previously worked with and should therefore not be extended to candidates with whom he had no direct dealings.
The SDP candidate made the comments during an interview on Arise TV’s News Night on Sunday.
“Senator Datti is talking from experience, the intimate relationship with people he has dealt with, so limit it to that. He can’t be talking about people like us, whom he has not dealt with,” Adebayo said.
Baba-Ahmed, who was Obi’s running mate during the 2023 presidential election, had made the controversial assessment during an appearance on the Mic On Podcast on Saturday.
While advising President Bola Tinubu to prepare to leave office, Baba-Ahmed argued that Nigerians should not expect improvement from the opposition figures seeking to replace him.
“I will simply advise uncle (Tinubu) to please prepare to hand over and move away, but not to the people contesting against him,” Baba-Ahmed said.
“Because none of them will improve Nigeria. All those people contesting against him too were all in bed together at some point or another—including Peter Obi. At some point, he was in PDP.”
Reacting to the statement, Adebayo suggested that Baba-Ahmed’s experience with Obi may have influenced his broader assessment of the presidential contenders.
“Maybe his experience with Governor Peter Obi has convinced him that that one cannot make a good president,” Adebayo said.
The SDP candidate also pointed to Baba-Ahmed’s previous involvement with the Peoples Democratic Party, arguing that his familiarity with politicians he had worked with could explain his assessment of the political class.
“He was in the PDP before, so he knows them, but I think he can’t include me,” Adebayo said.
Adebayo further challenged the suggestion that Baba-Ahmed’s criticism applied to him, questioning whether the former Labour Party vice-presidential candidate would specifically include him among those he considered incapable of transforming Nigeria.
“So you mean to bring him to your studio and ask him if that includes me? I don’t think so,” he added.
The exchange comes as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with opposition figures and prospective candidates increasingly positioning themselves ahead of the contest.
