The National Secretary of the Labour Party, Alhaji Umar Farouk Ibrahim, has stated that Peter Obi’s running mate in the 2023 election, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, will be given a chance to contest for the presidency in 2027.

Ibrahim, who spoke in a recent interview with Trust TV, said the party’s presidential ticket is not reserved for anyone.

According to him, Baba-Ahmed is as qualified to contest for the presidency as Peter Obi, who was the party’s flagbearer in the 2023 election.

“Datti is qualified to contest for the presidency as good as Peter Obi. So, the seat of that candidacy is not reserved for anybody. It is open for a competitive contest.

“If Datti is willing to aspire for presidency and he wants to do that under the Labour Party, we will open it. Come and buy the form, mobilise his support, and then get elected.

“But the only thing is that if those people didn’t come back to us, they lose that opportunity because there’s no way you’ll continue to romance with another political party, and then you still come back and your one leg is in the Labour Party.

“No, ab initio, you may be disqualified,” Ibrahim said.

Baba-Ahmed declared his intention to contest for the presidency should Peter Obi decide to pull out of the race.

However, the LP vice presidential candidate in the 2023 election restated his support for Obi, adding that the latter deserves a second chance to contest on the party’s platform. (Daily Sun)