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By Emmanuel Adeleke
The Labour Party (LP) vice presidential candidate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, has explained why he accepted to be the running mate of former Anambra State Governor and the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, in the 2023 election.
Baba-Ahmed, who is the founder of Baze University, Abuja, was named by Obi as his running mate, on Friday.
The development came less than 24 hours after the Director General, Peter Obi Campaign Organisation, Dr Doyin Okupe, announced that he had submitted his withdrawal letter to INEC as the party’s vice presidential candidate.
Speaking after his unveiling, Baba-Ahmed said he is “humbled and appreciative” of his selection as the party’s vice presidential candidate.
According to him, the “fundamental reason for being on this ticket is to rescue Nigeria from the state of collapse.”
“I cannot afford not to be part of the movement to rescue Nigeria,” he added.
In his remarks, Obi stated that Baba-Ahmed is “eminently qualified” to be Nigeria’s vice president if the party wins the presidential election in 2023.
“This is our match to secure, unite and make Nigeria productive and you can’t do it without having people who have a similar vision, idea and are prepared for that onerous task,” he said.
Baba-Ahmed was a member of the House of Representatives from 2003 to 2007. In 2011, he won the Kaduna North senatorial election. However, the election petiton tribunal and appeal court overturned his victory in 2012.
In January 2022, Baba-Ahmed announced his intention to contest the governorship election in Kaduna State on Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform.