Who is Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed? Things you need to know about Peter Obi’s running mate

Published

7 months ago

July 8, 2022

The Labour party officially unveiled Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed as the running mate of Peter obi.

According to Wikipedia Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed (born 1975 or 1976) is a Nigerian economist and politician who was Senator for Kaduna North from 2011 to 2012 and a member of the House of Representatives from 2003 to 2007.

Baba-Ahmed graduated from the University of Maiduguri after coming from the prominent Baba-Ahmed family of Zaria. He worked in business and banking for several years after finishing school before entering politics. Baba-Ahmed was elected as a member of the House of Representatives for Zaria in 2003, and during his tenure, he became known for speaking out against corruption and the Third Term Agenda. Baba-Ahmed continued to advocate for good governance after leaving office in 2007, returning to his Baze business group and founding Baze University. By 2011, he had returned to politics and had won re-election. In 2022, the Labour Party appointed Yussuf as the running mate to Peter Obi for the 2023 presidential election

Early life and education

Datti, Yusuf Baba-Ahmed was born in Zaria in the 1970s to the Baba-Ahmed family. His father, Baba Ahmed, was an Arab cattle trader from modern-day Mauritania who later became a well-known professor and expert on Islamic jurisprudence.

Baba-Ahmed holds a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in Economics from the University of Maiduguri in Borno State.

Prior to entering politics, he worked in security printing and minting in Lagos.

While serving as a Federal Representative, he earned the title of Doctor of Philosophy after completing his PhD studies at the University of Westminster in 2006.

Politics

Baba-Ahmed was elected to the Federal House of Representatives in April 2003 for the Zaria Federal Constituency in Kaduna State. [7] He ran on the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP). [8]

Baba-Ahmed became well-known for his principled activism.

During President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration, he was among lawmakers who opposed allowing Obasanjo to run for a third term.

In May 2006, he stated that he would not run for reelection unless action was taken to investigate allegations that members were bribed to support the constitutional changes required for a third term as president.

In 2007, he sued the Independent National Electoral Commission over the conduct of previous elections. He was well-known for his anti-corruption stance.

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