The Vice Presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general elections, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, has hinted that he may contest the presidential election in 2023.
According to him, if Obi and an unnamed political figure from the southern part of the country decline to contest, he will join the race.
NATIONAL POST reports that Baba-Ahmed made a surprise appearance during the National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting of the Julius Abure-led faction of the Labour Party.
He claimed that he attended the meeting as a peace advocate, but there are feelers that he has indeed rejoined the Abure faction of the party.
On the other hand, Obi is backing the Nenadi Usaman-led faction of the party, which was recently transformed from caretaker committee to interim leadership.
But speaking during an interview on Arise Television's Prime Time programme on Tuesday, Baba-Ahmed stated that he was still loyal to Obi and that he would back him again in 2027 if he chooses to run.
He emphasized that he is not driven by personal ambition.
"Look at my trajectory, and I've said this repeatedly, that in 2019 I aspired for the presidency and I lost, together with 11 others.
"I religiously supported Peter Obi and I would do so again in 2027, unless certain two people that I have tremendous respect for decide not to take it, and God Almighty in His infinite mercies keeps dropping it for me," he said.
"Except if that happens, I can tell you Peter will contest for sure because he's in the game, he contested before, I'll support him.
If he doesn't, or another person that I won't call his name from the South, if they don't contest, otherwise I'm not ambitious. My key ambition is to stop the killings, stop the stealing, stop the slide,” he further stated.
He also spoke on the leadership crisis rocking the People Democratic Party, PDP, describing
the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, as a victim of betrayal.
He claimed that Wike may be justified over his role in the protracted leadership crisis, adding that Wike's friend backstabbed him at the most critical moment.
He said: "You see, all the things that Wike is doing, I don't agree with them, but he is justified to an extent. I'm trying to say that whatever he's doing, deep down in his mind, I'm trying to remotely psych how he thinks and all that.
Apparently referring to former governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, the LP chieftain said: "Right at the Eagle Square, in the glare of the whole world, a party that he sustained while others were away, a very dear friend of his, at the most critical moment, backstabbed him.
"As far as he's concerned, 'these are two northerners who cheated me; these are two Hausa-Fulanis; these are two Muslims who cheated me, and I will teach them a lesson.' This is Wike.
"So, humanly speaking, I want to be fair to him. Whoever is treated that way will definitely fight back. It was not fair.
"I used to tell these people, be careful, even in your acts of politicking, be careful when you ask of treachery, be careful with your tricks.
“There is a time you fix somebody beyond imagination.
"Well, the people who did this to Wike, you know, they come from a very rich history with what he did for them in 2011, the relationship, the friendship, how it lasted, became a long way and at the very last, they did this to him. He will destroy the party. He's a human being."
It could be recalled that Wike appeared to be coasting home to victory during the PDP presidential primary election in 2022, until Tambuwal stepped down for Atiku and the tide changed.
The former Sokoto governor did not only step down, he went as far as asking his supporters to vote for Atiku Abubakar.
That singular act marked the beginning of the crisis in the PDP which has remained till date.