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Why I Should Be Nigeria’s President – Datti Baba-Ahmed, Phd

Published

8 years ago

April 21, 2018

Eric

By Femi E. Gabriel

In 2003, Senator Datti Baba-Ahmed was elected into the House of Representatives, and that marked the beginning of his sojourn into the world of politics.

While there, he made significant contributions to law-making through logical reasoning and convincing arguments. The astute Businessman, Founder and Pro-Chancellor of the prestigious Baze University, Abuja who holds two Masters degrees and a PhD, has declared his intention to run for the presidency of Nigeria on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) come 2019.

In this interview with TheBoss in Calabar, Cross River State, the Presidential hopeful stated why he should be Nigeria’s president, putting forward cerebral ideas. Excerpts:

Why do you want to be the President of Nigeria

It’s very obvious. The situation that Nigeria is in today is not a good one. The future of Nigeria is scary, and it is only us, Nigeriansthat can provide our own solutions. Amongst us, there are those that God has set aside to work for others. I happen to be one of them.

We have had many heavy weights that have occupied that position but disappointed Nigerians in their delivery. Are you not scared of what you want to go into

No I’m not scared. The powers in that exalted office are commensurate to the challenges of Nigeria. I need the power of that office to address the enormous challenges that we have. The previous occupants of that exalted office are entitled to their own opinion as regards their challenges. I have not been into that office to know how difficult it is but I am never scared by difficulties, rather I am encouraged by results that are positive.

What and who have you identified as major actors responsible for Nigeria’s underdevelopment over the years

I don’t want to put all our former leaders in one category. I will rather address the current situation. Do me justice by allowing me to address the current situation. Now, if you want to know why this government is finding it difficult to run Nigeria’s affairs; the reasons are not farfetched. One, APC was an accident. Strange bird fellows felt they had to quickly form an alliance. Two, PDP committed a strategic error that was cashed on by the APC. Three, a government that claimed it was coming to fight corruption must avoid looted funds – APC has not been able to do that. Four, no responsible political organisation plays politics with insecurity. Five, you must never come to power without vision, without plans. These are among issues I can adduce as the reasons for the failure of APC.

Having identify all these factors, do you have plans to correct them, if you become the president

Absolutely! Take them one after another. If I don’t really recall the order, but I can assure you that I will never use looted funds to run my government and I will never be indebted to corrupt individuals and questionable business interests. I will not be forced to make appointments that are suspicious, which will have attendant consequences on the affairs of government. I will never play politics with insecurity. I have a clear vision and strategies for achieving the vision. Note that our movement is not by accident; we have carefully chosen ourselves. We are not picking losers who are hungry for power. There are principles we are strictly following in our movement.

“Let us look at what you are bringing to the table. Many strategies have been applied, with unimpressive results. What are you going to do differently”

It may be contrary to public opinion. We have not tried many. We have only tried a few. Among these few, we keep saying fighting corruption, fighting corruption. How are they fighting corruption? Nobody knows. Arresting people? But before I come to corruption, let me state how I intend to do things differently. Let us take insecurity for example. Like I told you, we are not playing politics with insecurity. It is too important. I want to keep it short and simple. We will account for every square metre in the Nigerian territory, and I beg not to say more than that. By accounting for, it covers everything else. Some people would play politics with it, but I won’t. I want a Nigeria where citizens will move freely, any time of the day, from any origin to any destination whatsoever. I want a Nigeria, where remuneration of all public servants irrespective of status will take them from the first day of the month to the last day of the month.

I want to redefine and rearrange Nigeria’s economic order, and take it away from the system where success is tied to who you are or who you know in government.

I want to redefine and rearrange Nigeria’s economic order, and take it away from the system where success is tied to who you are or who you know in government. Success and wealth will hence forth be adjudged based on how well one identifies and utilises opportunities; how industrious the person is. By so doing, the procurement system in Nigeria which is largely responsible for corruption will stop. Inflating government contracts will stop immediately. Technology would be used to capture all possible revenues for the government. Again, extortion by public servants would be brought down to the barest minimum, and it will trickle down to the private sector. Then education is the zenith of service to humanity and I have been participating in the highest level. I will bring this experience to bear in my government.

Tell us more about your antecedent

Well, I have been able to develop myself and many things before I dabbled into government. I was into consultancy, construction and real estate before I launched myself into higher education. By the special grace and power of the Almighty God, I have established one of the best private universities in Nigeria, where graduates who can stand the test of time are produced. Education is the very zenith; it is the height of service you can offer to your society and I have been privileged to participate in Nigerian education at the highest level. I have also been donating cash and materials to secondary schools in my constituency.

And if you would like to know what I did while I was in the parliament, of course, I will tell you. You know what the parliament is meant for. We make laws. I was the first, and I recall the only one to fight against inflation of government contracts; that was in 2004. You can go to the National Assembly to confirm this. I also passed a resolution or rather, I sponsored the resolution which allows victims of accidents and violent crimes to be treated in our hospitals without police reports. This is among many others as I can recall.

Again, I sponsored the resolution against wrong or false medical diagnosis in addition to sponsoring a bill against environmental degradation of the Niger Delta though I am not from that region.

Now what’s your message to Nigerians

My message is simple. In 2019, we must make a real change, and vote in Datti Baba-Ahmed for president. We must shun religious and ethnic politics, and vote for the right person which I represent – which I am.

Featured

FCCPC Uncovers Patterns of Price Manipulation by Local Airlines

Published

14 hours ago

February 26, 2026

Eric

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has uncovered patterns of price manipulation perpetrated by some local airlines during the last festive season.

The findings are contained in the interim report released on Thursday by the Commission’s department of Surveillance and Investigations, according to a statement signed by the Director, Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu, and made available to The Boss.

Recall that the Commission announced an industry-wide investigation earlier in January.

The forensic exercise benefitted from data collated by the Commission from airlines operating local routes in the country.

The report compares domestic airline pricing from the December 2025 festive period with post-peak January 2026 fare levels.

Preliminary analysis indicates that fares recorded during the December peak were materially higher than those observed in the post-peak period across several routes despite relative stability in critical operating variables like fuel price, government taxes and foreign exchange.

The differences observed in fares therefore appear to reflect airlines’ arbitrary pricing decisions, including yield management and capacity allocation, rather than any variation in regulatory fees.

Route-level analysis shows that higher fares coincided with periods of reduced seat availability during predictable seasonal demand peaks. On some high density routes, peak fares were clustered within relatively narrow ranges across several operators.

For instance, on certain corridors like Abuja-Port Harcourt, peak fares were several times higher than corresponding post-peak levels. On selected routes, the difference in the price of a single ticket reached approximately ₦405,000. Median fares across the sampled routes also rose markedly during the festive window when compared with post-peak benchmarks.

However, the interim report recognises that seasonal demand pressures, scheduling constraints and fleet utilisation may also affect pricing during peak travel periods.

These factors remain under consideration as part of the Commission’s ongoing review.

Commenting on the release of the interim report, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the FCCPC, Mr. Tunji Bello, said the review is part of the Commission’s statutory responsibility to promote competitive markets and safeguard consumers.

“This assessment is intended to provide clarity on pricing behaviour during predictable peak travel periods. The Commission’s role is not to disrupt legitimate commercial activity, but to ensure that market outcomes remain consistent with competition and consumer protection principles under the law,” Mr. Bello said.

He noted that the Commission is conducting further structural and route-level analysis before reaching any conclusions.

“It is important to emphasise that this is an interim report. Our next action will be dictated by full facts established at the end of the review exercise. Then, the Commission will decide whether any regulatory guidance, engagement or enforcement steps are necessary, strictly in accordance with the law,” he said.

The report identifies the possible relevance of Sections 59, 72, 107, 108, 124 and 127 of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018, which respectively address the prohibition of agreements in restraint of competition, the prohibition of abuse of a dominant position, the offence of price-fixing, conspiracy to commit offences under the Act, the right to fair dealings, and the prohibition of unfair, unreasonable or unjust contract terms.

Meanwhile, Mr. Bello announced that foreign airlines will come under FCCPC radar after the ongoing review of local airlines in view of widespread complaints of exploitative fares they allegedly charge Nigerians on certain routes compared to fares in neighbouring countries that are of equal distance.

Featured

Many Killled, Houses Torched As Terrorists Unleash Deadly Attacks on Adamawa Communities

Published

20 hours ago

February 26, 2026

Eric

At least 25 ⁠people were killed and several houses torched after gunmen attacked two villages late on Tuesday in Adamawa State, northeast ‌Nigeria, residents and the ‌state governor said on Wednesday.

The attackers struck Kirchinga in Madagali ⁠district ⁠and Garaha in neighbouring Hong, two villages on the edge of the Sambisa Forest where Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) operate.

The twin raids highlight the enduring insecurity in Nigeria’s northeast, the epicentre of a 17-year Islamist insurgency, despite years of ⁠military ⁠campaigns.

Abubakar Lawan Kanuri, the ⁠village head of Kirchinga, told Reuters the attackers arrived on Tuesday evening dressed in military uniforms ⁠that initially led residents to mistake them for soldiers on patrol. He said 18 bodies were recovered after the gunmen swept through the community.

In Garaha, seven people were killed when ⁠gunmen on more than 50 motorcycles stormed the village and attacked ⁠a nearby military base, said resident Musa Isa, who added he “narrowly escaped.”

They advanced from several directions and hit the military base, killing three soldiers. Four fleeing residents were shot, and a school was also burned. Many villagers have since fled to Mubi, the nearest big town, Isa said.

Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri condemned the attacks ⁠as “cowardly acts of terrorism” and vowed not to “let terrorists undermine our efforts to restore peace and stability,” according to a statement from his spokesman.

Source: usnews.com

Featured

Gunmen Attack Edo Palace, Kill Chief, Abduct Two Daughters

Published

23 hours ago

February 26, 2026

Eric

Gunmen have killed a high-ranking palace chief in Iduah Kingdom, Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State, and abducted two of his daughters.

The victim, Chief Jimah Jacob Ogboi, was reportedly attacked at his residence on Monday night.

Sources said the assailants stormed the house and shot the chief at close range. His wife was also attacked with machetes and other dangerous weapons, leaving her seriously injured.

One of the deceased’s sons, Lucky, said he had stepped out to purchase an item when the attack occurred.

“I received a call that my father had been shot. When I returned home, I met my mother in a critical condition, and my two sisters had been taken away,” he said.

A community source disclosed that the incident prompted an emergency meeting of elders to deliberate on possible steps toward securing the release of the abducted daughters and addressing the underlying causes of the attack.

The traditional ruler of the community, HRH Alhaji Amedu Momoh, appealed to the Edo State Government and security agencies to urgently intervene and strengthen security in the area.

“About four armed men went to the house of one of our chiefs. They shot him and abducted two of his daughters. The Nigerian Police and other security agencies have been here since the incident occurred,” he said.

“We need assistance in tackling security issues. The government should come to our aid. There had been relative calm in our land, but it appears the attackers have regrouped.”

The monarch also expressed concern over what he described as increasing attacks on farmlands by suspected herdsmen.

When contacted, the spokesperson for the Edo State Police Command, CSP Eno Ikoedem, confirmed the incident and said investigations had commenced.

She added that the Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, was in Ekpoma, Edo Central, alongside other senior officers to address the security situation.

“I can confirm the incident. The Commissioner of Police and other top officers are currently in the area to forestall further attacks. The police have launched an investigation into the killing and abduction,” she said.