Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, a vice presidential candidate for the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 elections, has provided insight into why he split with President Muhammadu Buhari. The two previously belonged to the same political party, the Congress for Progressives Change (CPC).
Datti Baba-Ahmed, a native of Zaria in Kaduna State and a prominent member of the defunct Congress for Progressives Change (CPC), was chosen in 2011 to represent the Kaduna North Senatorial District on behalf of the defunct party.
Speaking in Kano, Datti asserted that President Buhari gradually lost his moral compass and direction. He claimed that this made it challenging for allies like himself to adhere to his political tenets and beliefs.
He also urged Nigerians to ignore Mallam Nasir El Rufai, the governor of Kaduna State, who recently insulted the Labour Party (LP) for failing to organise 200 persons in Kaduna State for a walk.
According to him, the LP is making steady gains in the North and has devised plans to further sway the electorates in their favour.
Massive education, awareness-raising efforts, and direct interaction with the local population were among the tactics Datti-Baba suggested would improve their standing there.
His words: “Even in this room, just before I stepped in here, I had shaken hands with over 200 persons”, he said, adding that the governor’s outburst was quite unreasonable and unworthy of a serious response.
“We are reaching directly to the electorate, to make them realise that Nigeria is sick and Nigeria needs a medical doctor that is competent, Nigeria does not need religious and ethnic sentiment at this time”, he stated.