Datti Baba-Ahmed:I May Probably Still Become President Somehow, Only God Knows

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The suave, enigmatic, fearless and blunt Datti Baba-Ahmed is the Vice-Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 election. In this encounter with Adedayo Adejobi, he talks about on how his party will quickly address rising cost of living, unemployment and insecurity if it wins the presidential election. Baba-Ahmed is upbeat about how an LP government will revive education, tackle injustice and income inequality in Nigeria

You wanted to be President four years ago. Now, it’s Vice President. What has changed?

 Nothing has changed. I simply continue to believe that almighty Allah gives power to whom He wills, when He wills, and how He wills. Nothing has changed in that regard, but 2019 was for northern Muslim as far as the rotational context and the co-existence of multitude of ethnic and religious mix in Nigeria are concerned. I was highly honoured by the fact that most of the Southern Christian aspirants curtailed and controlled their burning ambitions in 2019. So, it was the time for the north and for the Muslims. You know the likes of all the front runners; Wike, Tinubu and Amaechi stayed back. Even though Obi knew he is capable, he respected the fact that it was not their turn.

Now, this is 2023 Presidential election. His Excellency Peter Obi was in search of a running mate. He did his due diligence and they came up with me, and I had no reason in this world not to accept. I may probably still be on the way to Presidency somehow, only God knows. But one thing I am sure is that a human cannot ask God for something and then tell God how and when to do it. That’s not our own. It’s for him to decide. So, nothing has changed.

In my interaction with you in 2015, you said the only office that’s with the power and authority for the work you want to do for Nigeria is the office of the President. Nothing less than the power of that office would allow you to do those grand designs you have for Nigeria. If elected VP, would you be constrained?

I remember the answer to that question. Well, put it this way, I am on the way to that office. Don’t forget I am simply human and I don’t make things happen. I happen along with things as they happen. I can only aspire. I can only try. If it doesn’t happen, then who am I? It is that simple. How many people can at one point in time make themselves Presidents in the whole generation. It’s just a handful. And if you check, so many examples of them who never even thought that they would become President. President Jonathan, from Local Government Chairman to Deputy governor. He became Governor, Vice President and later President. Some of these things are above human comprehension.

How did you become the preferred choice for Peter Obi?

At a time, I was due for Kaduna primaries, I was out of the country when I started getting calls. I always answer calls, even though I don’t know the number. One thing led to another and they mentioned it to me. So, I said, can I just understand why me, and they said why not you? They then gave me reasons and facts I know very well. But the undeniable thing is that I really, really want to fix Nigeria, and that is why I contested Presidency in 2019 and Governorship in 2022. I really want to fix Nigeria. There is nothing legal and legitimate that I will not do for the sake of my dear Nigeria.

  Do you really think Nigeria can be fixed by your party?

Yes. Absolutely, and very quickly! We need to stop the killings, stop the stealing, the fall of the Naira and then begin to focus on instilling higher morality, stronger discipline and stronger character.

How does your team plan to turn Nigeria’s economic doldrums to a rejuvenated one?

To turn Nigeria’s economic doldrums to a rejuvenated one, we will trap all our revenue very well. Our revenue will be used for security, education and health care, for Nigeria’s maximum value at minimum cost. We will remove any personal interest from government business. By doing that, you are already achieving five times more with the same amount of money. Just imagine five times more! More money to cater to security, because we will equip the security services five times more and train them more with the same amount. We will have longer roads, more well-equipped schools and hospitals. Just imagine basic amenities in multiples of five with the same amount of money by simply removing personal, group and political interests from those things.

Peter Obi and I have the political will because we are not in search of any worldly gain from this government. We are not coming into this government to look for money. We are looking to run a Nigerian government that is in money. Then, we would trap all our revenue, deploy more technology to create more revenue and businesses. Farmers will go back to their farmlands all over the north and introduce more products and more produce. Old industries will thrive whilst new industries will spring up. We will promote linkages, enhance export, rejuvenate the financial system, collect consumption tax and reform imports system such that within 24 to 48 hours, importers can clear their goods.

In fixing our economy, we will unleash the power of the Nigerian youths who are currently trapped. We will educate them with skills quickly, to be employers of themselves and others so as not to go into government employment.

Nigerians would be dealing with a banker as President who knows how to put money in people’s hands, and a Vice President who knows how to engage in the area of professional education. In essence, Nigerians have got an excellent combination it has never had before.

Nigeria is a very complex country. What do you think you and Obi have that Atiku/Okowa and Tinubu/Shettima don’t possess?

What Peter Obi and I have and other don’t possess is that we tend to do what we say, and we say what we know we would do. Besides, our histories are different. Peter Obi became Governor in Anambra State and he achieved so much. Eight years later, he is a happy citizen aspiring to Presidency with no controversies and no allegations of fraud or corruption. All the attempts that were made failed.

From the little businesses I do, to my community service, my service to the state, my life is one humble history.

Contesting in Port-Harcourt in 2019, and proudly, yet honourably, scoring the lowest number of votes without bribing anyone, was probably my happiest run. At least, I satisfied my conscience.

The Obedients’s are changing the rules of the game. Does the 2023 process offer any hope?

The happiness that I see in some of the northern states I visited last one week is a true attestation to the fact that Obedients’s are changing the rules of the game. This question is timely. I was telling them that the happiness I see in them, is not because they are satisfied with the conditions they are living. They are only banking on hope. They all said yes, that it’s true. The hope is what is giving people smiles on their faces, giving them the kind of energy they thought they didn’t have. Yes, the obedient generation will make the difference in Nigeria’s political history. They will, by remaining steadfast, strong, focused and resisting the cause for religion and ethnicity; whilst promoting understanding between faiths and ethnicity. The Obidient generation will do well resisting temptations of money from the super-rich politicians who have pillaged our national wealth and are ready to spend it in becoming Nigeria’s next President.

 What sort of qualities do we need to see in the next President of Nigeria- whoever takes office in 2023?

 The capacity to remove personal interest from government affairs: by extension, interest of groups and other political interests. Whoever takes over office must have at heart the supremacy of national interest in all his undertakings, and I am able to see that in Peter Obi, that is why I am supporting him.

He has also shown deep knowledge of governance and a deeper knowledge of Nigeria itself. The President who will tell you the size, context, turnover of corporate constitutions and blue-chip companies with relevant data to back up his claims. It is amazing for him to know all those kinds of things. Well, as a Banker and Banking Executive, one deeply knowledgeable and experienced in governance, the way he led Anambra State to a great deal of victory and also improved its revenue, infrastructure, and education, bringing them from the 24th position to number one in education, speaks volume.

A good attribute of Peter Obi is his energy and capacity to make people reason with him. As a leader, he carries the people along. He doesn’t detach himself from the citizens. I see all these and more in Peter Obi.

What do you have to say about injustice in Nigeria today?

Injustice is more or less becoming the norm. Economically speaking, people are deprived of the dividends of democracy. Take a clear case of foreign exchange. With the complexity of exchange rates, the most productive ones buy it at the most exorbitant rates, and the fat cats in the corridors of power and influence the money launderers are those who do nothing except suck the blood of the nation. They add no value to the economic system of Nigeria, yet take the money. When they take the money, they don’t help the economy at all. They either hide it or they keep it away.

The absence of good governance is another situation in Nigeria that has left people to defend themselves by themselves. You, the press, you know it has been reported that some states have already called on their people to go and train themselves to the extent that a governor is even calling for arms to be licensed. I am surprised that the governor is still in office. It’s not just one state. Inequality is the highest form of injustice that can happen to the Nigerian people.

 Without calling test cases, the aggravated corruption in one government office, in excess of a N110  by an alleged official in EFCC custody, is a case in point. There are many more we do not get to hear about. There is injustice in everything. People are killed daily and nothing happens. The killers still roam the street waiting for the next person to kill, yet nothing happens. Our children were out of school for almost eight months. This is the highest level of moral injustice. There is no doubt injustice is everywhere.

What will Labour party do to address injustice?

We will get our children back to the universities immediately. We will make sure they stay for their four-year course. And earlier answers I have given will address some of these challenges. There would be justice across the Nigerian Armed Forces and Nigeria’s judicial system, especially in criminal cases. The multiplicity of the exchange rates will be abolished. Only the productive sectors will legitimately obtain Forex. All those fat cats, money launderers will be done away with; because we don’t have them around us. If we don’t have them around us now, we would not have them around us later. 

How would a Labour Party government at the centre quickly address rising costs of goods and services and insecurity?

We would really like to know exactly what happened and those behind banditry. We won’t fall into any matter we do not understand. We are beginning to understand it now, but we would fully understand if and when we get there. We would also look at recruitment in the expansion of the security forces, particularly the police. The Police would be equipped like never before – all the way from the major to the medium to the minor soft equipment.

From systems level, we would train Nigerian security forces in the context of addressing banditry in the forest, whilst modifying operations of the Nigerian Armed Forces. We would spend money to obtain maximum value at minimal cost. That way, we would have much more money. Employment and appointments would be on merit. Never again would any position in government be bought. The laws will be applied without fear or favour across board, away from its usual indiscriminate application. 

As a Founder of a successful private university in the nation’s capital, if you become Vice President, how would you address The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) aged-strike, revamp the Federal universities and the nation’s education system?

 We will immediately get The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Federal Government together. I would like to think that His Excellency, Peter Obi, would preside in that meeting. If he wishes in his wisdom, he could leave either the minister but I would like someone higher than the minister to handle and see it through and I would be very very glad to handle that. It’s a meeting that will continue nearly on a daily basis in the first two or three weeks. They will resume immediately. We will adjust and modify their demands in the reality of the present economy of Nigeria. Once we agree on it, we will set up an implementation team and they go back to the universities. ASUU’s requests are legitimate. The universities are in need of serious investment and that’s exactly what we would do.

There are indications that a considerably high proportion of Nigeria’s youth and old are angling to vote in February’s election. ANAP Foundation has predicted victory for Peter Obi whilst the UK-based Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), an arm of The Economist of London, predicted victory for Tinubu. Even though the pre-election polls may not be accepted by all, no matter how scientific it may seem, who do you see the Presidency going, to come 2023?

I see the 2023 Presidency going to Peter obi, of course. This is the first time I am hearing of any magazine predicting an APC candidate for victory. It is hardly possible for APC to ever win the 2023 elections. This is a gentleman who is responsible for bringing in this administration that has brought Nigeria to this deplorable state. Nigerians can never trust this person again. He added his three million votes to Buhari’s existing 12 million votes to bring him to power, simply because after eight years, he wants to come and rule. You cannot play God with Nigerian politics. No way, I don’t see how Nigerians suffering to access dollar at N730 as opposed to its former N197 and the escalating prices of food stuff, will make that mistake.

 According to security statistics, before 2015, the average Nigerian was at least 20 kilometres away from an illegal firearm, but now the average Nigerian is less than two kilometres from fire arm. The presence of Peter Obi and the Labour party is giving hope. Besides, Nigerians have never been so disunited like we are today. You will see Nigerians coming together to say we know this is wrong. I can never imagine an APC victory in Nigeria ever again. If it happens, it will remain a mystery. It’s only by mystery that APC will ever win, and it is anything but democracy. Democracy doesn’t only have arms, democracy has legs. The second leg of democracy is that the will of the people must be consistent with the creation and removal of leadership.

Now, Nigerians aspire to live in peace and prosperity, so any government that has done the opposite is not consistent with democracy. For that party to present itself and win election, it is anything but democracy. This is knowledge in the making. I am not claiming to have it, but we can’t sit down forever to say that we are living by the three arms of democracy. There is something beyond that.

So, you are confident, the presidency is coming to Labour Party next year?

By the grace of God. Let everybody open their eyes, hearts and minds. To see and think it has been narrowed now to three individuals. Peter Obi at 61, no controversy, no draw backs, full of experience, full of energy and an unblemished character. You can see the proven commitment, and the other two whose names I don’t have to call, especially the controversies surrounding them. You know their drawbacks and limitations. Nigeria needs a super President that can work a minimum of 14 hours a day, who Nigerians want to see, has to be able to eat, sleep, work from whatever situation you are working for the country. You sleep Nigeria, you wake up Nigeria.

For a party that has not been at the fore, much so one said not to have political structure, considering the short time available to campaign, how does your party intend to cover the local government areas across 36 states of the country?

We already have covered in terms of winning figures. Labour Party has always been present in every state. Obedient movement is a Tsunami. There was a Tsunami before in the north but it was small Buhari Tsunami before Tinubu added his own to make the difference. The Obi Tsunami is nearly across Nigeria. There has been a bit of Tsunami in the five different northern states, and the last round of turns I have been making has made me realise that the northerners and Muslims are up to the task. I think my people have been underestimated. The level of awareness of the Labour Party in the North is shocking. There’s reasonable awareness among the people. It can be low, but it’s not as bad as we thought.

Politicians are fond of denying campaign promises. The 2023 Presidential election is significant on many fronts, and so it is important you are held to account, especially on the premise that you’re promising freshness. When will Nigerians get to see your manifesto?

It is about being rolled out, and you know it has to come from the party. I cannot speak for the party. Rest assured that anything to do with the standard responsibility of leaders, we would never deny it. We are ready to accept responsibility. We will never blame anybody for things going wrong.

Should Peter Obi win the elections come 2023, how will your administration serve successfully without having Labour Party members in the National Assembly, governors and local governments?

Some will convert and we are likely to get some more people into the Labour Party fold.  His Excellency Peter Obi has shown while he was Governor that he’s a good man, one-man army who has made history in politics. He became governor when all the state assembly members were PDP members. They impeached him and he came back. By the time he came back, the times had changed, but the man hasn’t. The man has improved, and that is why I am there to help him.

By the grace of God almighty, if we are able to win the elections, security will improve in such a way that the killings will stop and Nigerians can move around freely breathing that air of liberty without fear that someone would come at you at night. The Naira that you earn next week is not going to be less in value, and you can invest it. There will be no one stealing your national wealth, stealing the crude oil, no one in offices inflating contracts. Wait until you see those things happen.

What is your final word to Nigerians?

Avoid religion and ethnicity in Nigeria when it’s time for elections. Let us unite, open our hearts, our minds, remove religion and ethnicity, vote credibility, vote capacity and proven character.