Why Peter Obi Got It Wrong by Picking Datti Baba-Ahmed in 2023 — Isaac Fayose

Social commentator Isaac Fayose has criticised former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi’s decision to select Datti Baba-Ahmed as his running mate for the 2023 presidential election.

Fayose argued that Obi made a strategic mistake by choosing Baba-Ahmed, saying the decision had implications for the Labour Party’s presidential campaign and its performance in the election.

Obi contested the 2023 presidential election under the Labour Party alongside Baba-Ahmed, securing significant support across several parts of the country. The ticket also generated substantial enthusiasm among young Nigerians and supporters who identified with the “Obidient” movement.

However, Fayose, who has previously expressed support for Obi’s political aspirations, said the former governor should have considered a different running mate.

His comments come amid renewed political debate over Obi’s political decisions ahead of the 2027 presidential election, particularly following disagreements between Obi and Baba-Ahmed over opposition politics and the direction of the movement they built during the 2023 election.

Baba-Ahmed has recently criticised several opposition politicians, including Obi and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, questioning their ability to deliver the level of change Nigeria needs.

He has also said he advised Obi in 2023 to work with Rabiu Kwankwaso, the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party at the time, instead of leaving the Labour Party to join the proposed alliance.

Obi has since pushed back against Baba-Ahmed’s assessment, maintaining that he has the experience and capacity to govern Nigeria effectively. He has also pointed to his record as Anambra governor while responding to criticisms of his presidential ambition.

Fayose’s latest comments add to the growing debate surrounding Obi’s political choices and the composition of the opposition ahead of the 2027 election.

The former governor is now a presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress, while Baba-Ahmed remains involved in the political debate surrounding the opposition and the 2027 contest.

With the next presidential election approaching, disagreements among opposition figures who were prominent during the 2023 election are increasingly shaping public discussions about strategy, leadership and the possibility of defeating President Bola Tinubu.

Fayose’s criticism therefore places renewed attention on the decisions made by Obi and his campaign team in 2023, particularly the choice of a running mate and the broader political alliances that shaped the election.