By Suleiman Anyalewechi
Senator Datti Baba-Ahmed, the Labour Party Vice Presidential Candidate in the 2023 General Elections, has insisted on his own political independence, despite pairing with Peter Obi.
This was as he blamed Obi for not being politically brave enough to confront the political monsters that infiltrated the ranks of the LP post-2023 polls.
In an interview with Sympony, Baba-Ahmed also lambasted the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for choosing the wee hours to announce its 2023 Presidential results.
Rationalizing his decision to opt for the Peoples Redemption Party, PRP, instead of joining Obi at the time he left the LP, Baba-Ahmed whose brother is the Chairman of the PRP, emphasized that as a politician, he has got his own principles and conviction.
According to him, his political preferences are not dependent on those of Obi, his former presidential candidate, much as they ran on the same ticket.
He noted that while he was of the strong conviction that disagreements and crises within the LP could be handled, Obi felt otherwise, and left.
Baba-Ahmed explained that he does not actually believe in the philosophy of running away each time there are internal crises or disagreement within a system.
He emphasized that it makes more sense to stay and resolve differences in a political party than leaving, noting that any political party can face challenges anytime.
“People had thought that I would follow Peter Obi, but I felt I had given enough sympathy then, and I had also thought that as leaders, we ought to have stayed and solve the problem within the LP.
“If Julius Abure was the problem, what makes Obi think that Ralph Nwosu and/ or David Mark of the ADC will not be a problem later?
“What makes him think that the Seriake Dickson’s party, the NDC, will not become a problem? It is the same thing wherever you go.
“So on my own, I felt we should stay and fix the problem. But he (Obi) decided to move on”, he stated.
He explained that his political choices and destinations are fully made by him and not in anyway tied to the political future and preferences of Obi.
“With due respect, Peter Obi does not own and determine my politics. He does not own me. I am independent”, Baba-Ahmed added.
He, however, stated that Obi, as his former presidential candidate, is always in the picture of his political decisions, and the reasons for taking them.
According to him, when Obi was about joining the ADC, he offered his reasons for not playing along with his fears almost coming to pass.
When he (Obi) was about to move, I told him to go ahead. I equally gave my reasons for not joining the ADC. Today, almost all the reasons I gave have come to pass”, he noted.
Baba-Ahmed took a swipe at the INEC overs its decision to announce the results of the 2023 general elections at about 4 am.
According to him, no credible institution, the world over, will choose such an odd hour to announce the results of an important exercise as the Presidential election of a country.
He expressed serious disappointment and concern that Nigerians, despite the obviously flawed, and hugely compromised nature of the exercise, appear to have moved on.
“I keep asking why Nigerians accept everything. How can an INEC Chairman assure African leaders, including former South African President,Thabo Mbeki, that election results would be announced at about 9 am, only to go ahead and announce them at about 4 am?”, Baba-Ahmed queried.
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