Nigerian businessman and social commentator Isaac Fayose has criticised former Labour Party vice-presidential candidate Datti Baba-Ahmed over his remarks that Peter Obi and other major opposition figures cannot improve Nigeria if elected in 2027.
Fayose made the comments in a video shared on X on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, after Baba-Ahmed questioned the ability of opposition candidates to deliver meaningful change.
Fayose Calls Out Datti
Reacting to Baba-Ahmed’s comments, Fayose described him as “a failure” and questioned his political relevance before the 2023 presidential election.
“Nobody knew him before 2023 until Peter Obi picked him,” Fayose said, adding that Baba-Ahmed “even lost his own state during the election.”
Fayose’s comments appeared to focus on Baba-Ahmed’s political rise alongside Obi and his performance during the 2023 election.
Datti Questions Obi’s Capacity
Baba-Ahmed made the remarks during an appearance on the MicOn Podcast hosted by Seun Okinbaloye around September 6.
He argued that none of the politicians challenging President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election could improve Nigeria, saying the opposition figures “were all in bed together at some point or another.”
When asked specifically about Obi, Baba-Ahmed said, “Including Peter Obi, I’m sorry to say.”
He also referenced Obi’s past membership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which was the ruling party at the time, while presenting himself as someone advocating for a “new Nigeria.”
Obi Responds to Former Running Mate
Obi later responded to the criticism by pointing to his record as governor of Anambra State.
“I passed through Anambra State, and I improved the state in critical areas of development. And I can do the same thing in Nigeria,” Obi said.
The NDC presidential candidate also said he would focus on reducing the cost of governance, fighting corruption and waste, strengthening law and order and ensuring credible elections if elected president.
Opposition Divisions Ahead of 2027
The exchange comes amid growing political realignments and disagreements among opposition figures ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Obi and Baba-Ahmed contested the 2023 presidential election together on the Labour Party platform before their political paths began to diverge. Fayose, the younger brother of former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose, has previously expressed support for Obi and the wider Obidient movement.
Reactions to the latest exchange have been mixed, with some Nigerians backing Fayose’s criticism while others have defended Baba-Ahmed’s record as a former senator and founder of Baze University.
