“Don’t Count Me Among the Failed”, SDP’s Adebayo Fires Back at Datti Baba-Ahmed

Social Democratic Party presidential candidate Adewole Adebayo has rejected Datti Baba-Ahmed’s assessment that none of the leading candidates for the 2027 presidential election has the capacity to turn Nigeria around, arguing that Baba-Ahmed’s experience with Peter Obi should not be generalised to candidates he has not dealt with.

A Blanket Condemnation

The 2027 presidential race has already generated its first significant ideological clash, pitting Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, the former Labour Party vice-presidential candidate, against Adewole Adebayo, the presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

In a statement that sent shockwaves through political circles, Baba-Ahmed declared on Saturday, September 5, 2026, during an appearance on the Mic On Podcast, that none of the politicians challenging President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 election can improve Nigeria, including his former running mate, Peter Obi.

“I will simply advise uncle (Tinubu) to please prepare to hand over and move away, but not to the people contesting against him,” Baba-Ahmed said.

“Because none of them will improve Nigeria. All those people contesting against him too, they were all in bed together at some point or another—including Peter Obi. At some point, he was in PDP” .

Adebayo’s Response

Adebayo, who has maintained a consistent presence in Nigerian politics as the SDP’s standard-bearer, responded on Sunday, September 6, 2026, during an interview on Arise TV’s News Night.

He argued that Baba-Ahmed’s assessment was coloured by his personal experience with Obi and should not be extended to candidates he had never worked with.

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“Senator Datti is talking from experience, the intimate relationship with people he has dealt with, so limit it to that. He can’t be talking about people like us, whom he has not dealt with,” Adebayo said.

“Maybe his experience with Governor Peter Obi has convinced him that that one cannot make a good president,” he added.

The Political Backdrop

Baba-Ahmed and Obi were the Labour Party’s presidential and vice-presidential candidates respectively in the 2023 election.

Their relationship soured after the election, with Baba-Ahmed subsequently leaving the Labour Party for the Peoples Redemption Party, while Obi defected to the African Democratic Congress before joining the Nigeria Democratic Congress, which named him its presidential candidate for the 2027 election.

Adebayo noted that Baba-Ahmed had previously been involved with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), arguing that his knowledge of politicians he had worked with could explain his assessment of the political class.

“He was in the PDP before, so he knows them, but I think he can’t include me,” Adebayo said.

A Pattern of Dismissal

Baba-Ahmed’s comments reflect a growing disillusionment with the political class in Nigeria, where many of the leading contenders have held public office or been part of the establishment.

His statement that “all those people contesting against him too were all in bed together at some point or another” echoes a sentiment shared by many Nigerians frustrated with the revolving door of political leadership.

However, Adebayo’s response highlights the danger of blanket condemnation. By dismissing all challengers to Tinubu, Baba-Ahmed risks alienating candidates who may offer genuine alternatives to the current administration.

A Lesson for Nigerian Youths

Datti Baba-Ahmed’s dismissal of all 2027 presidential contenders is a reminder that cynicism is not a political programme. It is easy to dismiss everyone as corrupt or incompetent, but that does not offer a path forward.

The same people who refuse to engage with the political process will never allow their own children to be denied a voice.

For young Nigerians, the lesson is clear: do not be seduced by cynicism. The decision to vote is a decision to participate in shaping the future.

The same leaders who tell you that no one is worth voting for will never allow their own children to be disenfranchised.

Engage with the process. Question candidates. But never abandon your right to choose.