The Presidency has issued a strong rebuttal to recent remarks made by Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, running mate to Peter Obi in the 2023 presidential election, who cast doubt on President Bola Tinubu’s chances of re-election in 2027.
In a statement shared on Saturday via his verified X (formerly Twitter) handle, Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, described Baba-Ahmed’s comments as “illogical” and lacking in coherence and substance.
“Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed’s ‘illogical logic’ was all over the place in his recent interview with a television channel. He peddled arguments that were flawed, devoid of reason and empty,” Dare stated.
Criticising Baba-Ahmed’s political commentary, Dare likened it to the ungrounded predictions of self-proclaimed prophets, asserting that the Obi-Baba-Ahmed political ticket brought more confusion than clarity to Nigeria’s political discourse.
“If listening to a Peter Obi interview was a punishment, listening to Baba-Ahmed, his defunct running mate, is a torment,” he remarked.
Dare further contended that Baba-Ahmed’s analysis of President Tinubu’s political future was driven by narrow sentiments and theoretical assumptions rather than practical political insight. He insisted that true leadership requires experience, resilience, and vision—qualities he believes President Tinubu has consistently demonstrated.
“If theories could fly, Yusuf Baba Ahmed and all the other Presidential Wannabes (PW) could have become President since. But politics is not for theorists or the faint-hearted,” Dare added.
Defending Tinubu’s Governance
Addressing claims that President Tinubu’s administration has underperformed, Dare defended the government’s record, pointing to bold economic reforms and global recognition. He referenced a recent IMF statement endorsing the president’s policies for stabilising the Nigerian economy.
“The positive impacts of the tough choices the President Tinubu has made in the interest of the country are already being felt, and the economic indices are there to prove this,” Dare noted, quoting IMF Mission Chief Schimmelpfennig’s assertion that “Tinubu’s reforms have put the economy in a better position to navigate this external environment.”
Looking ahead to the 2027 general elections, Dare expressed full confidence in President Tinubu’s re-election, asserting that ongoing reforms and strong leadership would pave the way for a decisive victory.
“In 2027, Baba Ahmed and the other PWs will need all the marines available to defeat President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who in about two years has demonstrated his capacity to govern and to re-engineer Nigeria in a way hitherto unknown,” Dare said.
He concluded with a scathing remark, advising Baba-Ahmed to “seriously consider how to rehabilitate his failed political career, an intervention he urgently needs.”
Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, who served as the Labour Party’s vice-presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, recently advised President Tinubu against seeking re-election in 2027. Since assuming office, President Tinubu has faced both praise and criticism over his administration’s controversial economic decisions, including fuel subsidy removal and currency unification. Nonetheless, the Presidency continues to defend these measures as necessary for long-term economic recovery, with cautious optimism from international institutions such as the IMF.