Baba-Ahmed urges generational shift in Nigerian politics, urges Atiku to step aside 

Former Labour Party vice-presidential candidate Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed has urged a generational change in Nigeria’s political leadership, insisting that the country needs fresh leaders to address its longstanding challenges.

Speaking on Channels Television on Friday, Datti reflected on his political journey alongside former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, highlighting their repeated contests over the years.

“When I was serving my NYSC, Baba Atiku was already running for president. In 2018, we contested primaries together, and again in the 2023 general election,” he said. “And now, for 2027, must it be the same story?”

The Labour Party chieftain stressed that Nigeria has many capable leaders ready to serve but who are blocked by the country’s entrenched political system.

“There is a whole new generation of Nigerians ready to lead, waiting for credible leadership and an opportunity to take our country forward,” Datti said.

He also criticised Nigeria’s political structure as costly, difficult, and dominated by influential godfathers. “Many Nigerians who could solve the country’s problems are discouraged by a system full of corruption, empty promises, and unnecessary hurdles,” he added.

Datti clarified that he had not declared his own presidential ambition, dismissing recent media reports as inaccurate. He called on the country to support new leaders capable of implementing meaningful change.