Fire me, Obi if we fail, Datti-Ahmed tells Nigerians

Peter Obi and Datti Baba‑Ahmed

The Labour Party’s vice‑presidential candidate, Datti Baba‑Ahmed, has urged Nigerians to dismiss both him and the party’s standard‑bearer, Peter Obi, if they fail to meet the nation’s expectations after four years in office. “For God’s sake, if you’re not satisfied after four years… fire us! Who are we?” he told Channels Television on Tuesday night. Baba‑Ahmed emphasized that they are not merely contesting for themselves, but that “Nigerians are contesting through us.” He stressed that he and Obi are not “time‑wasters,” a statement that comes with less than four days left before the presidential election.

British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing, also appeared on Channels Television’s election programme, *The 2023 Verdict*, offering a similar warning. She advised all politicians contesting Saturday’s general election to accept defeat or seek redress through the courts in order to curb post‑election violence. Laing highlighted the risk of unrest, noting that the lack of clear popularity among the candidates could fuel conflict. She recalled the deadly violence that followed the April 2011 presidential election, when President Muhammadu Buhari (retired) was declared the winner; more than 800 people died in three days of rioting across 12 northern states, including ten youth corps members.

Expressing concern over the pre‑election violence already observed, Laing warned that the situation could worsen if a free and fair poll is disrupted. “There is a worry around insecurity and violence. In this pre‑election period, the number of violent incidents is higher than in the last election,” she said. “We hope people can go out to vote peacefully on the day of the presidential and gubernatorial election. But most worrying is the post‑election period, where we have seen intense violence in the past.” She urged political party leaders to ensure their supporters vote and, if they lose, accept the results. “If they want to challenge anything, it is better to do so through the judicial process to keep things calm during what is going to be a very close election. There’s a lot at stake,” Laing added.