“If Tinubu is smart, he won’t contest in 2027” – Datti

Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, the former Vice Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), has advised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to reconsider seeking re-election in 2027 if he considers himself a smart politician.

Speaking during an interview on Arise Television’s political programme Prime Time, Baba-Ahmed strongly suggested that the political landscape no longer favours the All Progressives Congress (APC) and that Tinubu’s chances of winning another term are slim.

“I expect Tinubu to throw in the towel if he is that smart politician that he turns out to be,” he said.

The LP chieftain sarcastically described the president as a “super smart” strategist, referencing Tinubu’s political moves since 2007 including backing various presidential candidates such as Atiku Abubakar, Nuhu Ribadu, and Muhammadu Buhari before finally clinching power in 2023.

“He skipped 2007 and jokingly made Atiku candidate, made Ribadu and somebody in 2011, made Buhari in 2015, Buhari won, and then skipped 2019 and they stole 2023. If he is that smart, everything is there for him that he’s going to lose 2027,” Baba-Ahmed said.

He further argued that Tinubu, like his predecessor Muhammadu Buhari, would fall short of delivering on key promises of security, development, and anti-corruption.

“Buhari did not develop Nigeria, Buhari did not provide security, Buhari did not fight corruption. Neither will Tinubu ever do this,” he added.

Baba-Ahmed expressed confidence that APC will lose in 2027, predicting that Nigerians will unite across divides to reject what he termed bad leadership.

“I see APC losing this election. I see Nigerians somehow uniting, listening to what someone like me is saying that if you cannot practice this, democracy is not for you, and then Nigerians will decide to come out and practice democracy for the first time, and then bad leadership will begin to have no hiding place in Nigeria,” he said.