Datti Slams Obi, Atiku, Labels Them ‘Office Seekers’
Former Labour Party vice presidential candidate Yusuf Datti Baba Ahmed has criticised prominent opposition figures including Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar. He described them as office seekers rather than genuine opposition leaders particularly in their approach to the security situation in Borno State following recent bomb blasts.
Speaking on Trust TV Daily Politics programme Baba Ahmed argued that authentic opposition requires direct engagement with communities affected by violence rather than distant commentary or social media statements. He pointed out that prior to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu departure for the United Kingdom two deadly bomb blasts had occurred in Borno. He challenged opposition leaders to identify who among them had led citizens to walk the streets of Maiduguri in solidarity with victims.
Baba Ahmed drew parallels with past actions by President Tinubu and the late former President Muhammadu Buhari. He recalled how they visited Maiduguri in 2013 or 2014 during the peak of the insurgency walking the streets shaking hands with residents and showing practical solidarity with affected populations.
He maintained that social media posts alone fall short of meaningful leadership. It is not enough that they are tweeting about it that is mere play for children he stated. They are not opposition members they are office seekers.
While expressing broader disappointment with the opposition movement Baba Ahmed singled out former Rivers State governor and ex Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi for special mention. There is an outlier among them he noted. I have always told you if I have my way Amaechi is an excellent material but I do not have my way.
Baba Ahmed also revisited his political ties with Peter Obi. He confirmed ongoing support for the Labour Party in principle yet revealed disagreements over certain strategic decisions by Obi. I have been in support of Peter LP in any case but Peter left where I said he should leave he added. He went somewhere and he left again where I told him was not suitable for him.
These remarks emerge against the persistent backdrop of insurgency in the Northeast. Available records show that since the Boko Haram conflict began in 2009 the violence has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced more than two million people according to United Nations assessments. The March 2026 suicide bombings in Maiduguri alone killed at least 27 people and injured 146 others underscoring the scale of threats still facing Borno communities.
In the 2023 general election the Labour Party platform on which Baba Ahmed ran as vice presidential candidate with Peter Obi mobilised significant support across regions though it did not secure the presidency. Critics within and outside the party have since highlighted internal shifts and alignment challenges.
Baba Ahmed position frames a call for opposition figures to move beyond statements toward visible presence in crisis zones. His comments also highlight divisions in opposition ranks as Nigeria approaches future electoral cycles with security remaining a central public concern.