“We Need to Speak the Truth”: Datti Ahmed Tackles Northern Political Class in Viral Video

As Nigeria prepares for the much-anticipated general elections, a video of the Vice Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, has gone viral in which he takes on the northern political class opposing his candidacy and that of his running mate, Peter Gregory Obi.

In the video, Baba-Ahmed addresses a hall filled with governors, elders, and political elites at the Northern Assembly, where he stated that the reason why the Arewa region has not had good leaders in government is that they do not like to hear or speak the truth when it matters the most.

During his speech, Datti tackled the northern political leaders for trying to resist the candidacy of Peter Obi, despite knowing his track records and antecedents as a former Anambra governor.

He insisted that those opposing the Obi-Datti ticket among the region’s political elites would not be able to stop the Labour Party from emerging victorious because Nigerians have decided to vote for competence and capacity.

“We need to speak the truth,” Datti proclaimed. “We don’t say the truth, we don’t like the truth, and we don’t support the truth. And that is why we have not yet been able to touch Allah’s Rahma (God’s mercy) by getting the right leaders.”

Datti, who is the younger brother to the Spokesman for the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, further emphasized that the problem with the region is irresponsible governance, and that the LP ticket would bring an end to endemic corruption.

He cited an example of a governor who served eight years without borrowing a penny, left 75 billion behind for his state, and refused to sign a law that would have enabled him to collect money.

The LP Vice Presidential Candidate also highlighted the party’s ability to move Nigeria from consumption to production, adding that their history and records have shown that they were able to create wealth and did not derive wealth from the government.

Datti’s bold statements in the video have sparked widespread reactions on social media, with many Nigerians commending him for speaking truth to power.

As the country prepares for the general elections, which are scheduled to hold on February 23, it remains to be seen how the LP will perform, but Datti’s speech has certainly given the party a boost in the eyes of many Nigerians.

Watch the video below.