Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, former vice-presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general election, has said he agreed to run alongside Peter Obi out of pity, claiming that two other prominent politicians declined the same offer before him.

Baba-Ahmed made the statement during an interview with Symfoni, where he reflected on how the 2023 presidential ticket was formed and the circumstances that led to his selection as Obi’s running mate.

According to him, Obi had approached three well-known political figures before eventually settling for him, but none accepted the offer.

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

He further explained that his decision was influenced by both personal feelings and concern for the country’s political direction at the time.

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

He added that he willingly stepped in, describing his involvement as a voluntary act driven by a sense of national duty.

“I took it upon myself because naturally I have always been a volunteer. For the sake of Nigeria, I extended that sympathy to him,” he said.

Baba-Ahmed also addressed Obi’s later political moves, including his exit from the Labour Party amid internal leadership disputes.

He noted that political parties across the country face similar internal challenges, arguing that leaving one party does not eliminate such issues.

“If Abure was a problem, what makes him think Nwosu or David Mark of ADC will not be a problem? What makes him think Seriake of NDC will not be a problem?” he asked.

“So it’s the same thing wherever you go. Stay here and fix the problem and let’s work together. But he decided to move.”

He also stressed that his political identity remains independent, despite his past alliance with Obi during the 2023 election.

“With due respect, he does not own my politics; he doesn’t own me. I am independent,” Baba-Ahmed said.

Baba-Ahmed has since aligned with the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) after exiting the Labour Party.