Baba-Ahmed labels Obi and Atiku as individuals pursuing political positions rather than genuine opposition figures.

Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, the former Labour Party vice-presidential candidate, has levelled criticism at prominent opposition figures in Nigeria, including Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar, characterising them as individuals driven by a desire for office rather than a genuine commitment to opposition leadership.

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During his appearance on Trust TV's Daily Politics, Baba-Ahmed expressed dismay at the response of opposition politicians to the deteriorating security situation in parts of the country, particularly in the aftermath of recent bomb blasts in Borno State.

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According to Baba-Ahmed, true opposition leadership necessitates direct engagement with citizens affected by insecurity, rather than merely offering commentary from a distance, and he questioned the actions of opposition leaders in this regard.

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Baba-Ahmed posed a question, asking which opposition leader had taken the initiative to visit the streets of Maiduguri, citing the example of two deadly bomb blasts in Borno prior to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's trip to the UK.

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Baba-Ahmed drew a parallel with the actions of President Tinubu and the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, who visited Maiduguri during the height of the insurgency in 2013 or 2014, demonstrating solidarity with affected communities by walking on the streets and interacting with locals.

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The former vice-presidential candidate argued that many opposition figures have limited their interventions to social media statements, rather than taking concrete steps to identify with victims of insecurity, which he deemed insufficient.

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Baba-Ahmed stated that tweeting about the issues is not enough, dismissing such actions as childish and asserting that these individuals are driven by a desire for office rather than a genuine commitment to opposition leadership.

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While expressing disappointment with the broader opposition movement, Baba-Ahmed singled out former Rivers State governor and ex-Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, for praise, describing him as an outlier among opposition figures.

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Baba-Ahmed revealed that he had previously disagreed with some of the political decisions made by Peter Obi, the former Anambra governor, stating that Obi had left the party at a time when Baba-Ahmed had advised him to do so, and later left again from a position that Baba-Ahmed had deemed unsuitable.