They All Avoided Him – Datti Reveals How Peter Obi Was Rejected by Top Politicians in 2022

..Says switching parties won’t solve Obi’s problems

By Eshioromeh Sebastian

Former Labour Party vice-presidential candidate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, has revealed how Peter Obi was allegedly rebuffed by three prominent politicians during his quest for the 2023 presidency, stating that his own decision to run with Obi was driven by sympathy rather than political allegiance.

Speaking in an interview with Symfoni, Baba-Ahmed disclosed that Obi had approached three major political figures in 2022, but all of them avoided him.

“When he, Peter Obi, approached three major politicians in 2022 they avoided him. I would have been glad if in 2022 one of them went with Peter Obi. They all avoided him. I felt bad for him and for Nigeria as a nation,” Baba-Ahmed said.

He declined to name the politicians or give reasons for their refusal, saying, “You and I know the reason, and I don’t have to say it now” .

The former senator explained that sympathy formed the core of his relationship with Obi, contrary to public assumptions about their political partnership.

“People don’t understand between me and Peter Obi, I have a great deal of sympathy for him. And this sympathy was at the core of our relationship,” he stated .

Baba-Ahmed emphasised that his decision to join Obi was voluntary, describing himself as naturally inclined to volunteer for Nigeria’s interest.

Addressing speculation about his political future, Baba-Ahmed firmly rejected suggestions that he would trail Obi into other political platforms, particularly the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

“They thought I would follow Peter Obi to ADC, but I had given enough sympathy then,” he declared .

In a clear assertion of his political independence, he added, “Obi does not own me. I own my independence” .

Baba-Ahmed further argued that Obi’s approach of switching parties when faced with challenges was flawed, questioning what would change by moving to new platforms.

“If Abure was a problem, what makes him think that David Mark or ADC will not be a problem? What makes him think the Chairman or NDC will not be a problem? So, it’s the same thing wherever you go. Stay here and fix this problem,” he advised .

Spear News Nigeris reports vthat Peter Obi, who ran as the Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, officially left the party in December 2025 to join the African Democratic Congress (ADC) following months of consultations with opposition coalition members including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar .

Before his defection, Obi had urged his supporters, popularly known as Obidients, to align with the ADC .

However, Obi’s political journey did not end with the ADC. In a subsequent development, he joined the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) alongside former Kano State governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso as part of continued opposition realignments ahead of the 2027 elections.

Baba-Ahmed, who had earlier advised Obi in January 2024 to reach out to Kwankwaso and other opposition figures as part of a broader strategic plan, has since questioned the viability of such alliances.

Reacting to Obi’s exit from the Labour Party in January 2026, Baba-Ahmed described defectors as “political travellers,” saying: “A group of political travellers welcomed in 2022 with a presidential ticket continue with their journey. Simple” .

He maintained that Obi should have stayed to resolve the Labour Party’s internal challenges rather than walking away.

“Someone who got Labour Party ticket so easily should have stayed to fix the problems of Labour Party however difficult they were,” Baba-Ahmed said in a separate interview.

Baba-Ahmed has consistently maintained that he will not trail Obi’s political path, declaring at a January 2026 press conference at the Labour Party National Headquarters in Abuja that he remains committed to the Labour Party .

He dismissed the ADC coalition outright, describing its membership as “disgruntled politicians”