By Augustine Akhilomen

The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2027 election, Peter Obi, has said his record as Anambra State governor demonstrates his capacity to improve Nigeria if elected president.

The former Anambra governor spoke in response to his former running mate, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, who said none of the politicians challenging President Bola Tinubu in 2027, including Obi, could improve the country.

Speaking in an interview previewed on Monday, Obi outlined plans to restore order in governance, cut waste and tackle systemic corruption.

He said, “I passed through Anambra State, and I improved the state in critical areas of development. And I can do the same thing in Nigeria.”

Obi said his administration would bring civility and order to governance, reduce the cost of governance and restore honour and respect to the country.

He also pledged to fight corruption and waste, strengthen law and order, and ensure credible elections.

The former governor said his priorities would include uniting and securing the country, while focusing on critical areas such as healthcare, education and lifting Nigerians out of poverty.

Baba-Ahmed, who was Obi’s running mate on the Labour Party ticket in the 2023 presidential election, had made his remarks during an interview on the Mic On Podcast hosted by Seun Okinbaloye and posted on Saturday.

He advised President Tinubu to prepare to leave office, but argued that none of those contesting against him would improve Nigeria.

Asked whether he was referring to all opposition candidates, Baba-Ahmed said they had all been involved in the country’s political system at one point or another.

When asked specifically if he was referring to Peter Obi, Baba-Ahmed replied, “Including Peter Obi, I’m sorry to say.”

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The Director of Politics at Arise News, Sumner Sambo, has criticised former Labour Party vice-presidential candidate Datti Baba-Ahmed over his recent comments on the 2027 presidential election.


Sambo, speaking on Arise Television’s The Morning Show on Monday, said Baba-Ahmed should be more cautious with his public statements and allow politicians actively participating in the 2027 contest to pursue their ambitions.

He described some of Baba-Ahmed’s recent comments as disjointed, particularly his suggestion that President Bola Tinubu should prepare to leave office but should not hand over power to any of the politicians currently challenging him.

Baba-Ahmed had at the weekend said none of the politicians challenging President Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election, including his former political ally Peter Obi and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, had the capacity to improve or change Nigeria.

The former Labour Party vice-presidential candidate also disclosed that he warned Obi against joining the African Democratic Congress, ADC, but the former Anambra State governor ignored his advice and moved away from what he described as his political “comfort zone”.

Speaking on the Mic On Podcast hosted by Seun Okinbaloye, Baba-Ahmed said his political differences with Obi became more pronounced following the latter’s decision to join the ADC.

Reacting, Sambo said Baba-Ahmed’s comments appeared to undermine opposition politicians who had decided to challenge the incumbent president.

“I think he should sort of like be quiet a bit and let those who are in the field play the game that they are playing because some of the comments that he actually made just seem disjointed.

“I don’t know under a democracy what particular platform he would be using to actually ask a sitting president to hand over power to people who are not in the contest.

“We have a sitting president, there are contestants. So it beggars belief what exactly he was trying to aim at,” he said.

Sambo also cautioned Baba-Ahmed against making comments that could further heighten political tension in the country, noting that some of his statements, including those directed at Vice President Kashim Shettima, were particularly strong.

“He has a right to actually make political comments. But I will just plead with him to be very careful because the statement he made actually was denigrating to all the great presidential candidates that we actually have,” Sambo said.

He said opposition figures such as Obi, Atiku and other politicians seeking to challenge the incumbent deserved recognition for taking on the risks associated with contesting against a sitting president.

Sambo questioned why Baba-Ahmed, who was Obi’s running mate in the 2023 presidential election, had not declared his own presidential ambition if he believed the current opposition contenders lacked the capacity to lead Nigeria.

“In 2023, Datti was only a vice presidential candidate. If he had the guts to come out and challenge the process, including a sitting president, why didn’t he come out at this moment?” he asked.

Daniel Bwala, a spokesperson for President Bola Tinubu, has accused Arise Television of exhibiting preferential treatment for the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Mr Peter Obi.


Bwala, in a post on his X handle on Monday, said the station’s presenters often express strong opinions about other political candidates but adopt.a different approach when discussing Obi.

He claimed that the tone of discussions about the former Anambra State governor appeared like advisers offering counsel to their principal.

“Is anyone watching Arise News morning show gossip trending? They have strong opinion on all the candidates, but when it came to Peter Obi, what they have is advice,” Bwala wrote.

“Even the tone of their voices when talking about Peter Obi is like surrogates advising their principal.”

The presidential spokesman further alleged that the television station had not aired any trending reports considered adverse to Obi since he became a presidential candidate.

“I dare to say that they never had any so-called stories trending adverse to Peter Obi since Obi has been on the ballot,” he added.