Datti Baba-Ahmed says his personal bond with Peter Obi remains solid despite criticizing Obi's presidential capacity, insisting he could have helped after Obi's convoy was blocked in Benue had he been contacted.
Abuja — September 13, 2026
Former Labour Party vice-presidential candidate Datti Baba-Ahmed has described Peter Obi as his "boss," insisting he could have assisted the NDC presidential candidate during the recent blockade of his convoy in Benue State had he been contacted at the time.
Baba-Ahmed made the clarification while addressing backlash over his earlier claim that none of the candidates seeking to replace President Bola Tinubu in 2027, including Obi, has the capacity to fix Nigeria. Speaking on the Naija Unfiltered Podcast, he said running on separate political tracks from Obi had not damaged their personal relationship.
"In reality, if you check what is between me and Peter Obi, and coming to the clarifications now, let me tell you: first and foremost, Obi is my boss. I still call him my boss," Baba-Ahmed said, adding that he remains close enough to Obi to reach him directly. "If not because I don't like acting, I could call Peter Obi now and on the second or third ring, he will answer. Hey, my brother Datti."
Baba-Ahmed then referenced the incident this outlet has covered extensively, the blockade of Obi's convoy by thugs as he attempted to travel to Yelwata on a humanitarian visit. Demonstrating the hypothetical conversation he might have had with Obi, he said: "Sir, what happened in Benue?
Why didn't you call me in Benue?" He added, "He knows I could have helped out in Benue, even where he is now. He knows I could have helped out in Benue. My relationship with Peter is solid."
Baba-Ahmed's remarks follow criticism sparked by an earlier interview with Seun Okinbaloye on the Mic On Podcast, in which he argued that Tinubu should step aside and that none of his potential 2027 successors had the capacity to improve Nigeria. Asked directly whether that assessment included Obi, his running mate on the Labour Party ticket in the 2023 presidential election, Baba-Ahmed answered plainly: "Yes, including Peter Obi."
That comment drew sharp criticism from Obi's supporters, who questioned how Baba-Ahmed could describe his former running mate as lacking the capacity to fix Nigeria after the two jointly contested the presidency together in 2023.
In his latest remarks, Baba-Ahmed stressed that his political assessment of Obi's capacity should not be read as a breakdown in their personal relationship, maintaining that he continues to regard the former Anambra governor as his boss.
The exchange adds another layer to the political fallout from the Yelwata convoy blockade, which this outlet has tracked from the initial 46 arrests through competing allegations between Obi's camp and the Benue State Government.
Reports indicate Igbo leaders and other groups have separately voiced concern over Obi's safety following the incident, while Baba-Ahmed's comments, however unrelated in origin, now tie a prominent internal Labour Party/NDC rift into the same unfolding story, underscoring just how much attention the Benue episode has drawn across Nigeria's opposition political landscape ahead of 2027.
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