Former vice-presidential candidate of the Labour Party Nigeria in the 2023 general elections, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, has revealed plans to exit the party and align with the Peoples Redemption Party(PRP).
He made the disclosure on Tuesday during an appearance on Channels Television’s political programme Politics Today, citing internal disagreements and a perceived shift away from the party’s founding principles.
“I am leaving the Labour Party tomorrow [Wednesday]. There is more to it. When there was real peace in the Labour Party, was when they posted back. They redeployed someone with a specific purpose, and because of the antecedent of the individual to make life difficult, particularly for me. What the Labour Party stood for then is no longer what it is today,” he said.
Baba-Ahmed further confirmed that his resignation would become effective at midnight, stressing that his next political move had already been decided.
“I am leaving the Labour Party [at] midnight, and I am joining PRP. PRP is the new destination. PRP is the one with a history. It’s about 75 years old,” he stated.
The PRP, founded in 1978 by the late Aminu Kano, remains one of Nigeria’s oldest political movements, historically associated with progressive political ideology and grassroots mobilisation.
Baba-Ahmed previously contested the 2023 presidential election alongside Peter Obi under the Labour Party platform, a campaign that significantly reshaped Nigeria’s political landscape by mobilising a large base of young and first-time voters.
His planned defection adds to the growing list of internal challenges within the Labour Party, as political realignments continue to gather momentum ahead of the 2027 general elections.
What you should know
Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed’s planned exit from the Labour Party reflects deepening internal tensions within the party following the 2023 elections.
His move to the Peoples Redemption Party signals a strategic political realignment ahead of 2027, especially as opposition parties grapple with unity and structure. The PRP’s historical legacy as a progressive movement may offer him a new platform to re-establish influence.
This development also highlights the fluid nature of Nigeria’s political space, where alliances, defections, and ideological shifts continue to shape the emerging electoral landscape.
