THE former vice-presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, has stated that he foresaw former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai’s involvement in the ongoing political coalition two years ago.
Speaking on Arise TV yesterday night, Baba-Ahmed said he had previously shared this prediction with Peter Obi, Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 elections.
He expressed his readiness to support any presidential candidate that emerges from the coalition, as long as the primary process is transparent and credible.
“What matters to me is a clean and transparent primary. If that happens, I’ll support whoever wins. I’m a team player and, at some point, there’s only so much one can control,” he said.
Baba-Ahmed also spoke on his political background, mentioning his role as the 12th aspirant in the 2018 PDP Port Harcourt primary, and as Director of Research and Strategy in the party.
He revealed that he considered running for governor in 2023 but stepped back due to the nature of the primaries. The following day, Peter Obi also exited the PDP.
“If the coalition picks a candidate through a fair process, I’ll support that person — it doesn’t have to be Obi. I stand with him in the Labour Party by default. If he emerges and wins, he’ll have my backing,” he stated.
He concluded by reaffirming that he had correctly anticipated El-Rufai’s alignment with a coalition effort and that other past predictions of his have proven accurate.
“I knew El-Rufai would eventually join a coalition and take up the kind of role he’s playing now.”