2027: Atiku Has Been Contesting for Presidency Since My NYSC Days – Datti Baba-Ahmed

Dr. Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, the Labour Party’s 2023 vice-presidential candidate, has revealed that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has been pursuing Nigeria’s presidency since Baba-Ahmed’s National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) days.

Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Friday, Baba-Ahmed recalled that Atiku was already a presidential aspirant during his service year.

He emphasized the urgent need for a new generation of Nigerian leaders, noting that many capable citizens are willing to address the country’s challenges but are often deterred by what he described as an expensive, difficult, and politically treacherous system dominated by godfathers and unfulfilled promises.

“When I was doing my NYSC, Baba Atiku was an aspirant. In 2018, we contested the primaries together. In 2023, we contested again, with me as a vice-presidential candidate elsewhere after his vice president had left him. And, for God’s sake, in 2027, he will be contesting again,” he said.

“There is a need for a new generation of Nigerian leaders, and they do exist. Many talented Nigerians are ready to step up, but they are discouraged by a system that is expensive, difficult, and filled with godfathers and broken promises,” he added.

Baba-Ahmed also dismissed speculation that he had declared interest in running for the 2027 presidential election. He clarified that he only reaffirmed his membership in the Labour Party and did not announce any presidential ambition.

“I never declared to contest the presidency, although the possibility exists. I simply reiterated my membership of the Labour Party,” he said.

He further noted that any decisions regarding future elections would be guided by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) timetable and the position of his party, urging the public to disregard sensational claims circulating on social media.