In a provocative new interview, Datti Baba-Ahmed, the 2023 Labour Party vice-presidential candidate, has declared that any political opponent hoping to defeat President Bola Tinubu in future elections must be ready for an intense, extra-judicial struggle rather than relying on legal challenges.
Speaking on the Nigeria Right Now YouTube program, Baba-Ahmed argued that fundamental constitutional breaches during elections cannot be rectified by the courts alone and require decisive public action.
"Whoever is going to defeat Tinubu must be ready to, I will use the word, 'red eye'. You must show your red eyes because on that day that they are declaring the results, the people declaring fake results are criminals, and those who are stopping the declaration of fake results are good citizens," he asserted.
Critique of Reliance on the Judiciary
The former senator revealed that he had advised his 2023 presidential running mate, Peter Obi, against placing full faith in the judiciary after the last election. “I told Peter Obi; supreme court cannot give you governor and give you presidency. For God’s sake, stand up and do something. The Nigerian Constitution was clearly breached,” Baba-Ahmed said.
He specifically cited alleged violations of Section 134 (2b) of the constitution, which outlines the requirements for a presidential candidate to be duly elected. Drawing a contrast with the historic June 12 struggle, he praised the tenacity of those activists, stating they "fight for their interest" and can sustain protests for decades, unlike what he implied was a passive legal strategy.
Context of Past Legal Battles
Baba-Ahmed's comments reference Peter Obi's own political history, wherein he successfully reclaimed the Anambra governorship through the courts in 2006 after an initially declared loss. However, Obi's 2023 presidential election petition, which challenged Tinubu's victory, was dismissed by both the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.
The Labour Party chieftain’s statement signals a strategic shift in rhetoric, moving away from litigation and toward a call for more confrontational political mobilization ahead of the 2027 general elections. It underscores growing frustration within opposition circles regarding the perceived limitations of Nigeria's electoral dispute resolution system and sets a combative tone for the political battles to come.
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