Sunday Dare, Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication to President Bola Tinubu, has sharply criticised Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, Labour Party’s 2023 vice-presidential candidate, over his recent remarks about the 2027 presidential election.
During an interview on Arise Television on Friday, Baba-Ahmed advised President Tinubu to step aside from contesting the 2027 election, asserting that Nigerians would demand genuine democracy by then. However, Dare, in a post on his official X handle on Saturday, labelled Baba-Ahmed’s statements as incoherent, unfounded, and “illogical,” describing his political projections as “misguided.”
“Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed’s ‘illogical logic’ was all over the place,” Dare wrote. “His arguments were flawed, devoid of reason, and empty. He must have dropped from space, judging by the things he said.”
Dare likened Baba-Ahmed’s commentary to unreliable new-year prophecies, questioning his credibility and competence. He referred to both Baba-Ahmed and his 2023 presidential running mate, Peter Obi, as a “double whammy” in Nigerian politics.
“If listening to Peter Obi is punishment, then listening to Baba-Ahmed is torment,” Dare said. “His political logic wouldn’t hold up even in a first-year political science class. He wrongly assumes that President Tinubu can’t secure a second term based on shallow assumptions.”
Dare argued that Baba-Ahmed failed to engage with the substance of Tinubu’s leadership, instead choosing theoretical and impractical arguments. “He avoided discussing performance and capacity, and walked into a political arena he clearly doesn’t understand. If theories alone could make a president, he would already be one,” Dare stated.
He stressed that politics requires a proven track record, courage, and foresight—traits he claimed Baba-Ahmed lacks. “Another thing Baba-Ahmed lacks is honesty, especially when he says Tinubu isn’t fulfilling his campaign promises.”
Dare backed Tinubu’s economic reforms, citing international recognition. “The IMF has acknowledged Tinubu’s reforms as putting Nigeria in a stronger position to navigate current global economic challenges,” he said, quoting IMF’s Schimmelpfennig.
Looking ahead to 2027, Dare confidently declared, “Baba-Ahmed and other presidential wannabes will need all the help they can get to defeat Tinubu, who in just two years has shown his capacity to govern and transform Nigeria.”
He concluded by advising Baba-Ahmed to step away from political commentary and focus on rebuilding his political career. “If he is smart, he’ll keep quiet and leave politics to those equipped for the complex task,” Dare said.
