Datti Baba-Ahmed, former vice-presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), says only God can stop President Bola Tinubu from winning the 2027 presidential election.
He spoke in an interview with TrustTV while discussing the growing political activities ahead of the 2027 elections as well as the records of the presidential candidates.
Datti said he did not agree with Tinubu’s policies but acknowledged the president’s ability to build political alliances and organise over many years.
He said Tinubu spent about 16 years building a political structure and played a key role in bringing former President Muhammadu Buhari into an alliance ahead of the 2015 election.
“Even though I don’t entirely agree with him, he did what others were not able to do. He organised for 16 years, not just plan,” he said.
“He organised for 16 years against all odds, he brought in Buhari from retirement. Buhari is from across the Niger. He stood for that.”
According to Datti, Tinubu’s ability to pursue difficult and unconventional political strategies was central to his success in the 2023 election.
He contrasted this with Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), saying the former vice-president may not have been able to pursue a similar strategy because of resistance from those around him.
Datti described Tinubu’s 2023 victory as an extraordinary political feat, saying the president had effectively “won a lottery with 16 digits”.
Datti also described Tinubu as having an overwhelming grip on Nigeria’s political space, saying the president had “overpowered almost everyone”.
Datti claimed the opposition was disorganised and suggested that Tinubu had enough influence to prevent other political parties from uniting against him.
“He (Tinubu) will not allow them (opposition) to come together. He probably actually chooses candidates in the opposition parties. He installs leadership in those political parties. He does what you and I cannot imagine,” Datti said.
“If Tinubu says something will happen, only God Almighty can stop it. If he says to be declared in 2027, only God Almighty can stop it. I’m telling you this.
Asked whether his assessment was a compliment or criticism, Datti said it was open to interpretation.
“It is anybody’s business to interpret it anyhow. I only state the facts. And the fact is Nigeria now belongs to Tinubu,” he said.
Recently, Datti, who was Peter Obi’s running mate in 2023, said none of Tinubu’s opponents in the 2027 presidential election has the capacity to move the country forward.