Datti Baba-Ahmed, the Labour Party’s vice-presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, has reacted to the unveiling of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as the new platform for a major opposition coalition, highlighting the selection of a presidential candidate as its biggest challenge.
The coalition which brings together several prominent figures such as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi, and Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential flag bearer, was formally announced on Wednesday.
Speaking during an appearance on Arise Television’s Prime Time on Thursday, Baba-Ahmed compared the new alliance to the political realignment that led to the formation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2015 elections.
He noted that one key difference lies in the leadership clarity that defined the APC from the onset.
“There are structural misgivings in the coalition as it is today,” he said.
“Buhari was the distant anointed from ab initio (referring to APC in 2015). The convener (Tinubu) supported him. He understands that when Buhari leaves, he will become president.”
He suggested that the current ADC-led coalition lacks such clarity, which could lead to internal struggles.
“This opposition does not have a distant anointed (candidate). There will be a very close gap and tight struggle for it (presidential candidate). Possibly, not so clean primary and struggle for it. The question is what will be the aftermath,” Baba-Ahmed added.
