NEWS
“I Have More Damaging Things to Reveal” — Datti Baba-Ahmed Fires Back at Obidients Over Peter Obi
Former Labour Party vice-presidential candidate, Senator Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, has fired back at supporters of Peter Obi, popularly known as Obidients, accusing them of repeatedly attacking him whenever he speaks about the former presidential candidate and the events surrounding the 2023 general election.
Datti, who was Obi’s running mate in the 2023 presidential election, expressed his displeasure with the reactions of Obi’s supporters to his recent comments, insisting that their hostility would not prevent him from speaking his mind about issues concerning their principal.
Speaking during an interview with Symfoni TV, the former vice-presidential candidate alleged that Obidients were quick to launch attacks against him whenever he made statements they considered unfavourable to Peter Obi. He maintained that his comments were motivated by his understanding of the political developments surrounding the Labour Party and the experiences of the 2023 presidential election.
In a pointed warning to his critics, Datti suggested that he had additional revelations concerning Obi and the 2023 election, indicating that continued attacks against him could provoke further disclosures.
“Obidients are always eager to attack me. I have more damaging things to reveal. You attack me because I told you the truth about Peter Obi,“ Datti said.
His remarks have introduced another layer of tension into the relationship between the former running mates and sections of the political movement that rallied behind their joint presidential ticket in 2023.
Datti also reaffirmed his loyalty to the Labour Party, distancing himself from suggestions that criticism of Obi necessarily amounted to abandoning the party or betraying the political platform on which they contested the last presidential election.
He maintained that he would not allow the attacks of Obi’s supporters to intimidate him into silence, arguing that many of those criticising him were not fully aware of the political circumstances and developments that shaped events during the 2023 election.
The former vice-presidential candidate’s latest outburst comes amid growing disagreements over Peter Obi’s political future and his reported moves towards joining the African Democratic Congress (ADC)-led opposition coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Datti has been increasingly critical of Obi’s political direction in recent weeks, particularly regarding the possibility of his former principal aligning with the ADC coalition rather than continuing to build his political future within the Labour Party.
Those comments have reportedly angered sections of the Obidient movement, with some supporters accusing Datti of turning against the man with whom he shared the Labour Party’s presidential ticket in 2023. Others have alleged that his criticisms are politically motivated and intended to benefit former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, an allegation that has contributed to the intensifying exchanges among opposition political supporters.
However, Datti’s insistence that he remains a loyal Labour Party member highlights the political divisions emerging over the party’s direction, Obi’s next political move and the broader struggle to consolidate opposition forces ahead of the 2027 elections.
The controversy also underscores the enduring significance of the 2023 presidential election, which elevated the Labour Party into a major opposition force and galvanised millions of supporters, particularly young Nigerians, under the Obidient movement.
With political alignments gradually taking shape ahead of the next general election, Datti’s warning that he has more damaging things to reveal is likely to attract further attention from political observers and supporters eager to understand the unresolved disagreements surrounding the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential campaign.
For now, his comments have added fresh fuel to the debate over loyalty, political accountability and the future of the opposition, as the relationship between the former running mates continues to attract public scrutiny.