Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, former Vice Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), has delivered a sharp message to President Bola Tinubu: walk away from a second-term bid if you’re truly the “smart politician” you claim to be.
In an unflinching interview on Arise TV’s Prime Time, Baba-Ahmed predicted that President Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) are heading for defeat in the 2027 general election. “I expect Tinubu to throw in the towel if he is that smart politician he’s known to be,” he said.
The LP chieftain didn’t hold back, referring to Tinubu’s long-term role in shaping presidential outcomes as a “culmination in his electoral heist in 2023.” He accused the president of masterminding candidate placements since 2007, describing it with biting sarcasm.
“He skipped 2007 and jokingly made Atiku the candidate, made Ribadu in 2011, Buhari in 2015—he won—then skipped 2019, and they stole 2023,” Baba-Ahmed said. “If he’s that smart, he should see 2027 as a losing game.”
He further argued that the president is unlikely to fulfill his campaign promises, asserting that “it has been proven that APC is a lie.” Drawing parallels to former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, he said Nigerians should not expect meaningful progress under Tinubu either.
“Buhari did not develop Nigeria. Buhari did not provide security. Buhari did not fight corruption. Neither will Tinubu,” Baba-Ahmed declared.
The 2023 vice presidential contender added that the political tide is turning and claimed that Nigerians are ready for a new era of accountability. “I see APC losing this election,” he stated. “Nigerians will unite, they’ll listen, and they’ll vote. When we truly start practicing democracy, bad leadership will have nowhere to hide.”
Baba-Ahmed also hinted that there are already credible candidates who could defeat Tinubu in 2027—though he stopped short of naming them.
His remarks arrive at a time of growing public discontent with economic hardship and governance failures. For many, his comments reflect simmering frustrations and a growing appetite for political change.
