TheCable

A few blocks from the family house of Namadi Sambo is the residence of Datti Baba-Ahmed. Both men share a few things in common. The former is an ex-vice president while the latter seeks to become the next vice-president of Nigeria and they are both from Tudun Wada, a town in Zaria LGA of Kaduna state.

Born and raised in Tudun Wada, Sambo went on to build a career in architecture, then later served as governor of Kaduna, before eventually becoming vice-president under Goodluck Jonathan following the demise of Umaru Musa Yar’Adua in 2010.

Thirteen years later, another native of Tudun Wada — Datti Baba-Ahmed of the Labour Party (LP) — is on the verge of rewriting history to become the second VP from the town.

Saturday’s presidential election will determine whether history will repeat itself or be forced to wait for much longer.

DATTI’S PATH TO POLITICAL FAME

Datti’s political journey started in 2003 when he was elected to the house of representatives for the Zaria federal constituency, Kaduna, on the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP).

In 2011, he won the Kaduna north senatorial seat as a member of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), but his victory was annulled in 2012 by a court following a suit filed by Ahmed Makarfi, then-candidate of the PDP, who was the second-placed contender in the election.

In 2018, Baba-Ahmed contested for the presidential ticket of the PDP but lost after he polled five votes, while the winner – Atiku Abubakar – scored 1,532 votes.

Ahead of the 2023 general election, Baba-Ahmed had earlier expressed a desire to run for the Kaduna gubernatorial election on the PDP platform but he later pulled out of the race and joined the LP as a vice-presidential candidate.

DOES OBI-DATTI TICKET STAND A CHANCE?

If you speak to residents of Tudun Wada, you will get mixed responses regarding the chances of Peter Obi, the LP standard bearer, in the presidential election.

Yunusa Maidesign, a resident, said the LP vice-presidential candidate has done nothing to empower members of the community, hence he won’t vote for his party.

“We wish him all the best but it will be difficult for them (LP) to win. Datti has not done anything for us, for the community. There are children who want to go to school, those who want capital to start business that he didn’t help,” Maidesign told TheCable.

“There are also graduates who are jobless that he didn’t assist to secure a job. This is the reason why we won’t support him.

“We wish him all the best but, everybody has his choice, I have mine.”

Aminu Muhammad, another resident, is confident that Obi will be the next president of Nigeria — and Datti, a son of the soil, will be his VP.

“He is competent and we have the full assurance that the people will vote for him. Whoever knows Datti Baba-Ahmed knows that he is a person with vision, and while he was a member of the house of representatives, everyone knows what he did,” Muhammad said.

“He brought development to Zaria constituency and the people appreciated him. Datti is among the people I know who with or without politics has helped people to become something in life.

“I feel the youth are represented in the candidature. Nigeria has been led in the past by old people, and what have we achieved? It’s is our time, time for the young to lead our country.”

Jamil Sadis, Atiku’s in-law

ATIKU’S INFLUENTIAL IN-LAW IN TUDUN WADA

A potent challenge for Datti and the Labour Party in Tudun Wada is the influence of Jamil Muhammad Sadis, a respected Islamic cleric and community leader.

Sadis is married to the daughter of Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

His popularity among residents, coupled with a rich support base, is expected to pose a threat to the chances of Datti winning his community for LP.

Victory in one’s polling unit is usually the first test of the political relevance of a politician, therefore, Datti, as the running mate of a major contender, will be keen to avoid losing in his community.

Given the prevailing circumstances, it is expected that Tudun Wada will be hotly contested by the Labour Party and PDP.

But ultimately, the power to decide the outcome of the polls lies in the hands of the voters.