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Datti Baba-Ahmed, the vice presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 election, has recalled how he and his party warned Nigerians against keeping the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in power.
Baba-Ahmed's comment comes amid the prevalent economic hardship, which has made life extremely difficult for millions of Nigerians.
Upon assuming office on May 29, 2023, President Bola Tinubu announced the end of the subsidy on petrol and subsequently unified the foreign exchange market, which saw the naira fall to an all-time low against the United States dollar.
The two policies are part of the reforms embarked upon by the Tinubu administration and the President has vowed to make more difficult decisions in the country’s interest.
As quoted in a statement on Wednesday, September 18, 2024, Baba-Ahmed said Nigerians were warned about the alleged dangers of allowing APC to hold on to power beyond 2023.
He said this at the inaugural meeting of the Labour Party Interim National Caretaker Committee in Abuja, where he represented the party's former presidential flag-bearer, Peter Obi.
The former running mate dismissed the notion that the Labour Party is engulfed in crisis, insisting that the party was only experiencing a transition.
He maintained that the Labour Party remains a formidable force ready to offer a new direction to the country going into the 2027 presidential election.
“We didn’t have a crisis. We managed a transition which was a bit bumpy and that was it. I tell you, no other political party of our size could do that in the time and manner that we did.
“We are the political party who went all the way to the Supreme Court claiming our 10 million votes. They were only able to give us 6 million votes.
“So we are a force to contend with in Africa. What we’ve done has never been done before. When PDP came they had the military. We had nothing.
“We started, it was organic, It was us. It was Nigerian people. It was Obidients, and we defeated two existing political parties to the best of us of our submission in the courts.
“What is more, we are buoyed by the fact that what we warned Nigerians of the failure of APC, the dangers of APC is happening. They are failing more on the Nigerian economy.
“They are destroying the security of Nigeria. Every day in the news you report it, our citizens are abducted. They are killed in hundreds of villages." he said.
He added: “We warned Nigerians this was going to happen. Desperate people took the victory of the Labour Party. What did they do with it?
“Our currency value again destroyed. Security destroyed. Hunger in the land. Fuel removal of subsidies managed very very poorly, aggravated corruption continued lies and lies and lies”
“The former Federal lawmaker also clarified the leadership tussle in the party stressing that no governor removed Julius Abure, but the constitution of the party removed him because his tenure elapsed. He called on Abure and his team to sheath their swords and join hands with the Caretaker Committee to rebuild the party.
“Listen, my friend, no governor unseated, Abure, the constitution on unseated him, Abure time elapsed. Nobody unseated. As of today, Abure is our good friend and a loyal member.
“We want him back in the fold, we have roles for him to play. Likewise, all members of the former NEC and NWC, are welcome to come and join us. And continue to build the Labour Party. They are welcome”