- Safiu Kehinde
Yusuf Datti, the running mate of Labour Party’s 2023 Presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has expressed interest in the 2027 Presidential election as he ruled out speculations of possible defection to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Datti made this known during while addressing newsmen after a meeting with Labour Party National leaders on Wednesday.
While Obi had since dumped the party for the ADC, Datti dismissed speculations of joining his principal as he expressed interest in running for the presidency under the Labour Party.
The founder of Baze University further dismissed notion of filling Obi’s shoe’s at the Labour Party, stressing that he had long being a Presidential aspirant before Obi.
He recalled soliciting for Obi’s vote while contesting for the Peoples Democratic Party’s 2019 Presidential ticket.
“I’m my own boss. I’m not following anybody’s trajectory. I’m not stepping into anybody’s shoes.
“Can I please remind you that before His Excellency Governor Peter Obi can aspire for Presidency, I aspired for Presidency before him. The records are there for you to see.
“In October 2018, I participated in the primaries of the then PDP in Port Harcourt and I walked to Governor Peter Obi and I said please can I have your vote and he smiled at me. What a gentle man he was!
“Atiku won and he took Peter Obi as his running mate.” He said.
On reason behind his decision to serve as Obi’s running mate for the 2023 Presidential campaign, Datti claimed to have seen a rare opportunity for national unity in Obi’s candidacy.
He maintained that his ambition is borne out of the need to build national cohesion and rescue Nigeria.
This, according to him, serve as the reason behind his interest in the 2027 Presidential election.
“I aspired for Presidency before Peter Obi and if you heard me well, I saw a rare opportunity for national unity to have elected Peter Obi in 2023.
“That is why I decided to follow with it.
“You asked about religion. Yes, I’m a practising Muslim, but I’m a Nigerian and the constitution allows me contest.
“You asked about ethnicity. Yes, I am, as you say, Hausa man. But I’m a Nigerian and Nigeria constitution allows me to contest.
“I have never done anything because of ethnicity or religion. I’m doing it because Nigeria needs help. Nigeria needs people like me.
“I am a law-abiding citizen and I am a loyal party member.
“Until the timetable is released by INEC, until the whistle is blown, until the leadership of Labour Party says those who are interested, I will not say anything about it.” He added.