The Labour Party’s 2023 vice‑presidential candidate, Yusuf Datti Baba‑Ahmed, reiterated his claim that the All Progressives Congress (APC) did not win Nigeria’s February 2023 presidential election. Datti made the statement during a Tuesday interview on Channels Television’s “Politics Today.”
“I repeat, APC did not win the 2023 election. Labour Party won the election,” Datti said. He acknowledged that the Supreme Court and lower courts have affirmed President Bola Tinubu’s victory, but he argued that judicial rulings do not alter what he believes to be the actual outcome. “The courts have the power to do all and everything. You don’t have to win elections; the court can say you won and it stays,” he added.
The candidate warned that accepting the contested result could undermine Nigeria’s democratic system. “I told Nigerians that if you allow that election to stay, that would be the end of democracy. I still humbly remain by that,” Datti asserted.
Datti criticised the incumbent government for what he described as “a regime whose primary purpose has been the destabilisation of other political parties.” He said the administration has neglected core responsibilities such as security and economic management while concentrating on weakening opposition movements. “At the expense of what they should have done—providing security, improving our economy—they are focused on other things,” he said.
When questioned about evidence linking the ruling party to crises within opposition parties, Datti responded that his comments are political commentary, not legal testimony. “We are not in a court of law. This is political commentary. Of course, we’ve got evidence,” he said, adding that the government’s record on security and livelihoods supports his view. “They have failed in providing security. They have failed in improving our lives. That is enough.”
Despite the judiciary’s endorsements of the official results, Datti maintained that citizens retain the right to form their own opinions. “You can accept it, but you don’t have to agree with it,” he concluded.
The remarks come amid ongoing debates over Nigeria’s electoral integrity and the broader health of its democratic institutions. While the courts have upheld Tinubu’s presidency, opposition figures continue to challenge the legitimacy of the process, raising questions about political stability and public trust in the nation’s electoral framework.
