Datti Baba-Ahmed has reportedly dumped Peter Obi and attended Abure’s LP Faction NEC Meeting.
NaijaOnPoint Nigeria reports that the Labour Party (LP) was thrown into fresh confusion on Monday after its 2023 vice-presidential candidate, Dr. Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, dramatically showed up at the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the Julius Abure-led faction, just days after attending a similar gathering convened by a rival camp aligned with Senator Nenadi Usman and Peter Obi.
Datti’s back-to-back appearances at two opposing faction meetings have ignited speculation that he may be distancing himself from his 2023 running mate, Obi, and aligning with Abure’s embattled camp as the party struggles with deep internal divisions.
While addressing the Abure-led NEC, Baba-Ahmed attempted to downplay the optics of his shifting allegiances, declaring:
“I remain in the Labour Party because I believe in its mission. I am here as a loyal member, a peacemaker, and a reconciler.”
But the damage had already been done.
Top party insiders described his appearance at both camps as a calculated move that undermines party unity.
“You can’t attend two rival NECs and pretend to be neutral,” one senior LP official said. “This is a clear signal that Datti may be dumping Obi to secure his own political survival.”
Another chieftain added:
“Even the Bible says you cannot be hot and cold. He must pick a side.”
Datti, however, defended his actions, claiming he attended the rival coalition meetings purely out of national interest, citing concerns over insecurity and the future of Nigeria’s democracy.
He said:
“When your neighbours invite you to discuss insecurity in your community, it is only moral that you attend. But if those discussions go against your values, you return to where you belong—and I have returned.”
He reiterated his commitment to the Labour Party and claimed that Peter Obi has not left the party either, despite his silence on recent coalition talks aimed at challenging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government.
“I stand firm in my belief that the Labour Party is not one to walk away from,” Datti declared. “We must not repeat the mistakes of past coalitions that removed governments only to replace them with worse leadership.”
Still, critics within the party believe Datti’s moves reflect growing cracks within the Obi-Datti alliance. His loyalty is now being openly questioned, with concerns that Labour may be heading toward a messy realignment ahead of 2027.
Amid the leadership chaos, questions are also being raised about other prominent figures like FCT Senator Ireti Kingibe, whose position in the party remains unclear.
As the Labour Party continues to bleed internally, Datti’s calculated pivot toward Abure’s camp may signal a new power play and possibly the end of the once-unified Obi-Datti front.