Former Labour Party vice-presidential candidate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, has emphasised that Nigerians can only enjoy true leadership when leaders are genuinely elected.
Speaking on Politics Today, a programme on Channels Television, on Tuesday, Baba-Ahmed highlighted the connection between credible elections and national security, asserting that the ongoing cycle of violence in Nigeria stems from flawed leadership selection.
“When asked how to stop the cycle of killings in Nigeria, I say this: only when you have the right leaders, and you can only have the right leaders when they are truly elected,” Baba-Ahmed stated.
He warned against electoral malpractice, saying, “So long as people steal elections, you will never have security. The most drastic aspect is that some groups use insecurity as a tool, as we saw in 2015, to achieve their objectives.”
He also accused political actors of exploiting religion, ethnicity, party divisions, and monetary influence to maintain power, further worsening the country’s security crisis.
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In a related interview on the same programme, Baba-Ahmed attributed the persistent insecurity in Nigeria to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), describing it as part of the party’s strategy to gain and retain power.
“Insecurities have been present in Nigeria since before the 2015 elections, even in smaller forms. My firm view is that insecurity is part of the APC’s modus operandi,” he said.
Baba-Ahmed went on to accuse politicians and government officials of being the root causes of insecurity, stating, “I have given you three solid reasons to show that politicians and government functionaries are the problem. These facts are undisputed.”
His comments come amid heightened debate over security challenges facing Nigeria and allegations made by former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai that the Federal Government is paying bandits, which has sparked national controversy.
