Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, the Labour Party’s vice presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, has firmly reaffirmed his party’s claim to electoral victory in a significant video statement posted on Symfoni TV. He also addressed rumors of new political movements and offered reconciliation to disgruntled members.
Speaking with unwavering conviction about the contested 2023 presidential election, Baba-Ahmed responded to rumors of emerging political alternatives while maintaining his stance on alleged electoral manipulation.
“The saying goes that there may be another movement. You know, I’ll not hide it. Let us see it,” Baba-Ahmed stated in the televised appearance, acknowledging but not dismissing reports of potential new political formations.
The Labour Party leader quickly reaffirmed his commitment to the existing party structure: “Labour is there. Labour is the only option, and that, like I said in 2022 and 2023, there was only one party that was positioned to win the elections, and Labour Party won the election.”
Continuing with serious allegations about the electoral process, he elaborated: “What happened? Of course they switched off INEC, they changed the menu of English language, and they bent our constitution.”
Maintaining his consistent position on the legitimacy of the current administration, Baba-Ahmed added: “And I remain by what I said: this serving government remains questionably constitutional.”
Despite these strong statements, he concluded on a conciliatory note, referencing party leadership efforts at internal healing: “And of course, I will not forget my able chairperson, Senator Nenadi. The high point of her speech is that she’s extending a hand of friendship and brotherliness to whoever is aggrieved.”
These comments come amid reported tensions within the Labour Party following its impressive but ultimately unsuccessful showing in the 2023 presidential election, with various factions apparently seeking paths forward while maintaining their position that their candidate, Peter Obi, was the rightful winner of the contest officially won by Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress.