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Datti Ahmed Shuns ADC, Declares Presidential Ambition Under Labour Party Ticket

Published

23 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Eric

The 2023 vice-presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Senator Datti Baba-Ahmed, has declared his intention to contest the 2027 presidential election, positioning himself as a stabilising figure within the party following the recent departure of its presidential flag-bearer, Peter Obi.

Baba-Ahmed announced his ambition on Wednesday at a rally held at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, barely a week after Obi defected to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), a move that has intensified debates about the future of the opposition.

Addressing party members and supporters, Baba-Ahmed said his presidential aspiration was long-standing and not influenced by Obi’s political decisions. “I have made myself to contest for the office in 2027. I’m not following anybody’s trajectory or stepping into anybody’s shoes,” he said.

He recalled that his interest in the presidency predates the 2023 election.

“Can I please remind you that before His Excellency Governor Peter Obi filed for the presidency, I aspired for the presidency before him? The records are there for you to see,” he added.

The former lawmaker also reflected on his earlier political journey, noting that he once sought the presidential ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party before aligning with Obi in the Labour Party.

“In October 2018, I participated in the primaries of the then PDP in Port Harcourt and walked to Obi for his vote, and he smiled at me. What a gentleman he was,” he said.

Baba-Ahmed explained that his decision to serve as Obi’s running mate in 2023 was driven by a desire for national unity.

“I saw a rare opportunity for national unity to have elected Peter Obi in 2023. And that is why I decided to flow with it,” he stated.

Responding to questions around religion and ethnicity, Baba-Ahmed insisted that constitutional rights, not identity, should define leadership choices.

“Yes, I am a practising Muslim. But I’m a Nigerian, and the constitution allows me to contest. You asked about my ethnicity. Yes, I am a Hausa man, and the Nigerian constitution also allows me to contest. I’m doing this because Nigeria needs help,” he said.

While declaring his interest, Baba-Ahmed stressed that he would respect party and electoral processes. “As a law-abiding citizen and a loyal party member, until the timetable is released by INEC and the leadership of the Labour Party calls for interested aspirants, I will not say anything about it. But remember I told you that Nigerians know the truth,” he said.

Reacting to the declaration, Labour Party National Chairman, Julius Abure, praised Baba-Ahmed for remaining with the party despite speculation of possible defections following Obi’s exit. He said the move demonstrates the party’s resilience and continuity.

“On the night Peter Obi defected, I received a telephone call from our Vice-Presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Dr. Datti Baba-Ahmed. He said he is not leaving the party because it was the platform upon which he, along with the former candidate, received millions of votes from Nigerians,” Abure said.

Abure added that Baba-Ahmed proposed a gathering of party stakeholders to reaffirm unity. “He asked me to organise an event where members can come together. That is why we are having this gathering here today. The Labour Party is intact, we will not let Nigerians down,” he said.

Baba-Ahmed’s declaration has reshaped internal dynamics within the Labour Party and injected fresh momentum into early manoeuvring ahead of the 2027 presidential election, as opposition parties continue to adjust to shifting alliances.

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We Won’t Allow Rivers Govt Be Destabilized, APC Rejects Move to Impeach Gov Fubara

Published

15 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Eric

The All Progressives Congress (APC), Rivers State chapter, has vehemently rejected moves by the State House of Assembly to impeach Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy.

The House of Assembly, on Thursday, commenced an impeachment process against Fubara over alleged misconduct..

The impeachment notice is expected to be issued to the governor and his deputy in the next seven days.

Reacting, the Rivers APC, in a statement issued by its Publicity Secretary, Darlington Nwauju, rejected the move.

“Our position as at today on this matter is that we solemnly reject the resort to an impeachment process against our governor and his deputy.

“It will be totally untenable for our party to keep quiet when an obvious hang-over from strifes that occurred within the PDP are allowed to resurface in our great party,” Darlington said.

He added that the ruling party “will do everything possible to ensure that the Government of Rivers State, which is an APC government, is not destabilized”.

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Atiku Won’t Step Aside for Obi, Dele Momodu Declares

Published

18 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Eric

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and close ally of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Dele Momodu, has ruled out speculation that Atiku may withdraw from the 2027 presidential race in favour of former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi.

A veteran journalist and Chairman, Ovation Media Group, Momodu dismissed the rumours on Thursday, insisting that Atiku has no reason to step down despite growing talks of a possible opposition consensus ahead of the next general election.

Atiku, the PDP’s presidential candidate in the 2023 poll, defected to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in November 2025, a move widely seen as positioning for the party’s ticket in 2027. Obi, who finished third in the 2023 election, also joined the ADC on the last day of 2025, after leaving the Labour Party, fuelling speculation of a possible political alliance.

Speaking in Abuja, Momodu said pressure on Atiku to abandon his ambition was driven by “malice and prejudice,” particularly arguments centred on age.

“Several people have asked me to advise former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to withdraw from the 2027 race. When I ask why, they say he is too old,” Momodu said. “Not that he is less healthy than President Bola Tinubu. Tinubu can contest, but Atiku shouldn’t?”

He rejected claims that Obi could emerge as Atiku’s preferred successor or running mate, noting that prominent Obi supporters, including Prof. Pat Utomi and activist Aisha Yesufu, had publicly opposed such an arrangement.

The comments follow reports that Atiku might step aside for Obi under a purported agreement for a single-term presidency, with Atiku returning in 2031 — a claim Momodu described as unfounded.

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ADC Inaugurates Revalidation, Mobilisation Team

Published

19 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Eric

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has inaugurated a Membership Revalidation, Mobilisation and Registration Committee aimed at expanding the party’s membership base nationwide.

The ADC National Chairman, Senator David Mark during the inauguration charged the committee to take the exercise to the grassroots, stressing that the strength and survival of any political party depend largely on the size and commitment of its membership.

He emphasised that the initiative was designed to be inclusive and not exclusionary.

“Let me emphasise that this exercise is not about exclusion, but inclusion, strengthening, organising and repositioning our party to meet the expectations of Nigerians who yearn for credible leadership and democratic governance,” Senator Mark said.

In his acceptance speech, the Committee Chairman, Kashim Imam, pledged to take the party directly to the people, describing the assignment as a mass mobilisation effort.

“This is a mass movement. On behalf of all committee members, I assure you that we will work tirelessly to mobilise and register members across the length and breadth of this country,” he said.

Renowned rights activist, Aisha Yesufu, will serve as Deputy Chairman of the committee, while Dr Sekonte Davies has been appointed Secretary.

The committee is also mandated to develop an electronic registration platform for the party and it is expected to submit its report to the National Working Committee within 30 days.