KEY POINTS

• Baba-Ahmed says Atiku presidency ambition dates back to NYSC.
• He calls for generational change in Nigerian leadership.
• Labour Party figure denies declaring interest in 2027 race.

The Labour Party’s 2023 vice-presidential candidate, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, said former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has pursued Nigeria’s presidency since his National Youth Service Corps days, arguing that the country needs a generational reset in political leadership.

Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Friday, Baba-Ahmed recalled that Atiku was already a presidential aspirant during his service year, a reflection, he said, of a political class that has dominated the system for decades.

The comments come as debates intensify over succession politics ahead of 2027, with growing calls for younger leaders to emerge within Nigeria’s major parties.

Atiku presidency ambition spans decades

Baba-Ahmed said Atiku’s long-standing presidential ambition illustrates the difficulty of political renewal in Nigeria. He noted that he had encountered Atiku as an aspirant during his NYSC year, again during the 2018 primary contests, and most recently in the 2023 election cycle.

“When I was doing my NYSC, Baba Atiku was an aspirant,” he said. “In 2018, we contested primaries together. In 2023, we contested again, and now discussions are already shifting to 2027.”

According to Baba-Ahmed, the persistence of familiar figures reflects structural barriers that discourage new entrants. He described Nigeria’s political environment as expensive and difficult, dominated by godfathers and promises that often go unfulfilled, conditions he said deter capable citizens from seeking office.

Calls for new leaders beyond Atiku presidency ambition

The Labour Party chieftain argued that a new generation of leaders exists but lacks a platform free of entrenched interests. He said many Nigerians are ready to engage politically but are constrained by high costs and internal party dynamics that limit genuine competition.

Baba-Ahmed also dismissed reports that he had declared an intention to contest the 2027 presidential election. He added that recent comments attributed to him simply reaffirmed his membership of the Labour Party.

“I never declared to contest the presidency,” he said, adding that any future decision would depend on the timetable of the Independent National Electoral Commission and the position of his party.

He urged the public to disregard what he described as sensational narratives circulating on social media, stressing that discussions about 2027 remain premature.