Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, who served as Peter Obi’s running mate in the 2023 presidential election, has opened up on the challenges he believes could make a Peter Obi–Rabiu Kwankwaso presidential ticket unpopular in the Muslim-dominated Northern region.
Speaking during an interview, Datti said his experience during the 2023 campaign convinced him that securing widespread Northern support for Obi would be a difficult task.
According to him, the religious and political perceptions he encountered while campaigning for Obi were significant obstacles.
“I said it is very unlikely that the North will support Peter Obi. Very unlikely, because I know what I have faced. If you want me to repeat, when I jumped onto the ticket, I had to contend immediately with ID card,” he said.
Datti also raised questions about how Kwankwaso would navigate the political contradictions that could emerge from an alliance with Obi, recalling that the former Kano State governor had previously travelled to Anambra to challenge Obi politically.
Reflecting on his own campaign efforts, Datti said he went to considerable lengths to introduce Obi to communities and traditional leaders across Northern Nigeria, including in Borno State.
“I knew how and what I used to get Peter Obi across. Like I said, all the way to Shehu of Borno,” he said.
Datti highlighted Borno’s long Islamic history, noting that Islam had been established in the region centuries before its arrival in the Sokoto area.
He also recalled an encounter involving the Shehu of Borno and British colonial administrator Lord Lugard, arguing that Borno’s historical and religious influence played an important role in shaping British policy toward Northern Nigeria.
According to Datti, he personally worked to overcome some of the concerns surrounding Obi’s candidacy, including accusations and fears relating to religion.
“I smuggled Peter Obi to Borno, to the Caliphate, to Kano, to Zaria, to market him. So I sorted that problem of ID card, mosque demolition.”
Datti said his commitment to the 2023 campaign went beyond that of an ordinary political running mate. He described himself as being fully dedicated to Obi’s presidential ambition and said he was always available whenever he was needed.
“Because I took myself as a staff of Peter Obi. I considered myself as staff. Call me 2 a.m., I will jump up. Call me 4 a.m., I will jump up. Call me 6 a.m., I will jump up.”
He then questioned whether Kwankwaso would be prepared to make similar sacrifices and put aside factors such as age, ego or political seniority in order to make an Obi-Kwankwaso ticket work.
“So will age allow, will ego, will seniority, will all those things allow him?” Datti asked.
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