2027: Don’t include me among candidates who can’t fix Nigeria  —  Adebayo replies Baba-Ahmed

The presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Adewole Adebayo, has rejected Datti Baba-Ahmed’s assessment that none of the leading candidates for the 2027 presidential election has the capacity to turn Nigeria around.

Adebayo said Baba-Ahmed’s conclusion could only be based on his personal experiences with politicians he had worked with and should not be extended to candidates with whom he had no direct dealings.

He stated this during an interview on Arise TV’s News Night on Sunday.

“Senator Datti is talking from experience, the intimate relationship with people he has dealt with, so limit it to that. He can’t be talking about people like us, whom he has not dealt with,” Adebayo said.

Baba-Ahmed, who was Peter Obi’s running mate in the 2023 presidential election, had made the assessment during an appearance on the Mic On Podcast on Saturday.

He advised President Bola Tinubu to prepare to hand over power adding that none of the opposition figures seeking to replace him would improve the country.

“I will simply advise uncle (Tinubu) to please prepare to hand over and move away, but not to the people contesting against him,” Baba-Ahmed said.

“Because none of them will improve Nigeria. All those people contesting against him too were all in bed together at some point or another — including Peter Obi. At some point, he was in PDP.”

Reacting to the remarks, Adebayo suggested that Baba-Ahmed’s experience with Obi may have influenced his assessment of the other presidential contenders.

“Maybe his experience with Governor Peter Obi has convinced him that that one cannot make a good president,” he said.

Adebayo also noted that Baba-Ahmed had previously been involved with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), arguing that his knowledge of politicians he had worked with could explain his assessment of the political class.

“He was in the PDP before, so he knows them, but I think he can’t include me,” Adebayo said.

“So you mean to bring him to your studio and ask him if that includes me? I don’t think so,” he added.