Datti Baba-Ahmed, 2023 vice-presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP), has said that the biggest challenge for African Democratic Congress (ADC) coalition will be choosing a presidential candidate ahead of2027 general election.
Gatekeepers News reports that Baba-Ahmed made the statement during an interview on Arise Television on Thursday.
He cautioned that while the emergence of ADC as a united opposition party is generating excitement, the real test will come when the coalition must decide who will fly its presidential flag.
Baba-Ahmed urged Nigerians not to get carried away by the momentum surrounding the coalition, noting that the underlying structural issues need to be addressed.
He compared the current ADC coalition to the formation of All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2015, pointing out that unlike APC, which had Muhammadu Buhari as the clear front-runner from the onset, the ADC coalition lacks a widely accepted or predetermined candidate.
The politician said, “Don’t be consumed by the excitement — manage it. Right now, it is all about the excitement.”
“Understandably so, Nigerians are depressed as they are oppressed. This excitement can easily consume everyone. Hold back and think critically.”
“There are structural misgivings in the coalition as it is today. Buhari was the distant anointed from ab initio (referring to APC in 2015). The convener (Tinubu) supported him. He understands that when Buhari leaves, he will become (president).”
“This opposition does not have a distant anointed (candidate). There will be a very close gap and tight struggle for it (presidential candidate). Possibly, not so clean primary and struggle for it.”
“The question is what will be the aftermath.”
Baba-Ahmed noted that while he remains a member of Labour Party (LP), he is considering going the ADC coalition because he supports its principles and objectives.
