Datti Baba-Ahmed, the Labour Party's vice-presidential candidate in the 2023 election, has declared that President Bola Tinubu's grip on Nigeria's political landscape is so formidable that only divine intervention can stop him from securing victory in the 2027 presidential election. Speaking during an interview on TrustTV, Datti acknowledged Tinubu's political acumen despite disagreeing with several of his policies, and he pointed to the president's roughly 16 years of strategic groundwork that culminated in his 2023 election win.
Tinubu's 16 Years of Political Strategy
Datti highlighted Tinubu's role in forging an alliance with former President Muhammadu Buhari before the 2015 election as a prime example of his unconventional and effective approach. "He organised for 16 years against all odds; he brought in Buhari from retirement. Buhari is from across the Niger. He stood for that," Datti said during the interview, as reported by TheCable.
He described Tinubu's 2023 victory as an extraordinary political feat, likening it to winning a lottery with 16 digits. Datti argued that Tinubu had "overpowered almost everyone" in the political arena and was actively shaping the opposition rather than merely facing it. According to Daily Trust, Datti asserted, "He will not allow them 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."
Divine Intervention as the Only Check
Datti made it clear that Tinubu's influence extends to the point of controlling political outcomes. "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," he stated.
When asked whether his comments were meant as praise or criticism, Datti declined to offer his own 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.
Contrast With Atiku and the Opposition
Datti also drew a sharp contrast between Tinubu and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, suggesting that Atiku would have faced internal resistance had he attempted the same bold political strategies that Tinubu pursued. His remarks come on the heels of earlier statements in which he claimed that none of Tinubu's potential opponents in 2027, including those within the opposition, had the capacity to move Nigeria forward.
In a separate podcast appearance on Saturday, Datti reiterated his stance, urging Tinubu to prepare for a handover of power but warning against the current opposition candidates as replacements. He noted that he is the only major contender who has never belonged to a ruling party in Nigeria, positioning himself as a distinct alternative in the coming race.
