2023: Baba-Ahmed Emerges As Peter Obi Running Mate

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, on Friday, officially named his running mate ahead of the 2023 General Election.

Obi, at a press conference in Abuja, announced Yusuf Baba-Ahmed as his substantive vice-presidential candidate hours after his placeholder, Dr Doyin Okupe withdrawal from the race.

Okupe, who was the placeholder, on Thursday, announced the submission of his withdrawal letter to INEC and prepared the minds of many Nigerians for his substantive replacement.

His name was initially submitted by the LP to beat the June 17 INEC deadline.

The Kaduna State-born Baba-Ahmed is an economist and founder of Baze University in Abuja.

As an All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) candidate, he was elected in 2003 to represent Zaria Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.

He served as a senator for Kaduna North from 2011 to 2012 under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Mr Obi was a presidential aspirant under PDP before his defection, the Baze University founder was among the aspirants jostling for the PDP governorship ticket in Kaduna State before pulling out in May.

Related: Peter Obi Picks Doyin Okupe As Running Mate

He accused the other contenders in the race of overspending and said it would hurt the state treasury if any of his colleagues emerge.

At his unveiling on Friday, Mr Baba-Ahmed said he accepted to be Mr Obi’s running mate because he believes in the latter’s capacity to deliver true dividends of democracy to Nigerians.