By Omeiza Ajayi
ABUJA: Senator Datti Baba-Ahmed, the 2023 vice-presidential candidate of the Labour Party and running mate to Peter Obi, has dismissed the African Democratic Congress ADC as a political refuge for failed leaders, describing the party as nothing more than a “grand deception” ahead of the 2027 elections.
Baba-Ahmed, who spoke during a Channels Television interview monitored in Abuja on Friday, accused several former allies of ex-President Muhammadu Buhari of using the ADC as a new cover, despite their alleged roles in the mismanagement of the country between 2015 and 2023.
According to him, Nigeria’s persistent insecurity, corruption, and institutional collapse are rooted in fraudulent electoral processes that continually throw up corrupt leaders.
“Insecurity is derived from electoral fraud. Corruption is aggravated by the kind of elections we conduct. The destruction of our youth and our judiciary is guaranteed by the fraudulent electoral system we run,” he said.
Reflecting on the Buhari years, Baba-Ahmed noted that Nigerians had placed high hopes in the former president but were left disappointed. He recalled that Buhari once served as Chairman of the Petroleum Trust Fund PTF during the late General Sani Abacha’s regime, which, according to him, was one of the most corrupt in Nigeria’s history.
“Everybody knows how corrupt that government was. Up till now, money is still being recovered as stolen during that period. Nigerians were absolutely disappointed. Those who came to power in 2015 were like wolves. Corruption started afresh, and the whole system was about party and campaign contributions,” he declared.
Baba-Ahmed alleged that the political “ecosystem” around Buhari had always thrived on personal interest and financial contributions rather than genuine service. “From 2003 to 2015, it was all about campaign money. Without it, the ecosystem around him would starve. So, when they finally got power, they behaved like wolves,” he added.
Turning to those who have now pitched their tents with the ADC, Baba-Ahmed was blunt: “They are deceiving us. The ADC is a deception. Those who ruined Nigeria between 2015 and 2023 cannot now come under a new platform and claim they want to fix the country.”
The former senator reaffirmed his commitment to the Labour Party and loyalty to Peter Obi, insisting that Obi remains his preferred choice for the 2027 presidential election.
“I am in Labour Party, for God’s sake. I am a Peter Obi man, and I want him to contest again in 2027,” he said
