Datti Baba-Ahmed, Fmr. Vice Presidential Candidate of Nigeria's Labour Party
Datti Baba-Ahmed Alleges 2015 Power Struggle Fueled Nigeria’s Banditry Crisis
Labour Party’s 2023 vice-presidential candidate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, has made a bold and unsettling claim about the origins of Nigeria’s ongoing insecurity, particularly the rise of banditry.
In a recent interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Baba-Ahmed alleged that certain political actors were so desperate to see Muhammadu Buhari become president in 2015 that they were willing to let Nigeria descend into chaos if their goal was not achieved.
Reflecting
on the tense political climate leading up to the 2015 elections, Baba-Ahmed
stated that the desperation to unseat then-President Goodluck Jonathan led to
actions that have had long-term consequences for national security. He claimed
that individuals aligned with Buhari’s camp went as far as importing people
from neighboring countries to destabilize Nigeria in anticipation of a power
shift. According to him, this orchestrated effort laid the groundwork for the
banditry and violence that now plague many parts of the country.
Baba-Ahmed
also revisited his experience during the 2011 elections, when he contested a
Senate seat in Kaduna State. He recalled that he distanced himself from Buhari
after the former president made a controversial statement warning that “you
will all be soaked in blood.” The remark, he said, coincided with violent
outbreaks in Kaduna, where homes were burned and lives disrupted. Despite
winning his seat, Baba-Ahmed said he refused to campaign alongside Buhari,
citing moral and ethical concerns.
He argued
that the seeds of insecurity were sown during this period of political
desperation, and that Nigeria is still reaping the consequences. Baba-Ahmed
warned that when political ambition overrides national interest, the result is
a fractured society vulnerable to violence and instability. He emphasized that
insecurity has been politicized and weaponized, becoming a tool for power
rather than a challenge to be solved.
His
remarks have sparked renewed debate about the role of political actors in
Nigeria’s security crisis and the extent to which past decisions continue to
shape the country’s present challenges. As Nigeria looks ahead to future
elections, Baba-Ahmed’s revelations serve as a sobering reminder of the cost of
unchecked ambition and the urgent need for leadership rooted in integrity and
national unity.
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