Sowore Accuses Datti of Knowing Obi Was ‘a Packaged Fraud’ as 2027 Political Battle Intensifies

Omoyele Sowore, the African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate for the 2027 election, has launched a fresh attack on Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, accusing the former Labour Party vice-presidential candidate of knowing that Peter Obi was allegedly “a packaged fraud” during their 2023 presidential campaign.

Sowore made the claim while reacting to recent comments attributed to Datti about the ability of opposition politicians, including Obi and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, to provide meaningful change in Nigeria.

The exchange adds another layer to the increasingly competitive opposition politics ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with former allies and political rivals reassessing the events and alliances surrounding the 2023 election.

Sowore revisits 2023 controversy

In a post on his X account, Sowore argued that Datti’s recent criticism of Obi was significant because Datti had served as Obi’s running mate during the 2023 presidential election.

Sowore alleged that Datti therefore had first-hand knowledge of Obi’s political character and capabilities.

“He knew Peter Obi, whom he deputized, was a packaged fraud,” Sowore wrote, presenting the statement as his interpretation of Datti’s recent position.

The AAC candidate also referred to a 2023 National Peace Committee event, claiming that he was seated near Datti when Bola Ahmed Tinubu, then the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), arrived.

According to Sowore, Datti’s interaction with Tinubu at the event made him believe that the Labour Party ticket was not as politically opposed to Tinubu as its campaign rhetoric suggested.

Sowore said he raised similar concerns publicly at the time but claimed that supporters of Obi and Datti dismissed his position.

What happened at the 2023 Peace Accord?

The event referenced by Sowore was part of the National Peace Committee’s efforts to encourage presidential candidates and political parties to commit themselves to peaceful elections.

The 2023 presidential race featured major contenders including Tinubu, Atiku, Obi, Rabiu Kwankwaso and Sowore. Obi was the Labour Party’s presidential candidate, while Datti Baba-Ahmed represented him at the February 2023 Peace Accord signing. Contemporary reports confirmed Datti’s presence at the event.

The official National Peace Committee documentation also records Datti Baba-Ahmed’s participation in the 2023 presidential election peace process.

However, attendance at a peace meeting or cordial interaction between political opponents does not, by itself, establish that two politicians were secretly working together. Sowore’s interpretation of the encounter remains an allegation made by him.

Datti’s earlier position on Peter Obi was very different

The latest confrontation is notable because Datti was previously one of Obi’s strongest public defenders during the 2022–2023 campaign.

In December 2022, while serving as Labour Party’s vice-presidential candidate, Datti accused the APC campaign of spreading what he described as false information about Obi.

At the time, he defended Obi’s record and described him as a successful businessman and two-term former governor of Anambra State. Datti also criticised attacks against the Labour Party presidential candidate and argued that the party’s opponents were attempting to undermine Obi’s candidacy.

That history gives the current dispute greater political significance: Datti’s present criticism of Obi is being contrasted with his much more supportive position during the 2023 campaign.

From running mates to political disagreement

Obi and Datti entered the 2023 presidential election as one of the most prominent alternative tickets to the traditional APC-PDP dominance.

An election assessment by the International Republican Institute and National Democratic Institute noted that Obi selected Datti Baba-Ahmed as his running mate after emerging as the Labour Party’s presidential candidate. The report also highlighted the significant support the Labour Party attracted during the election cycle, particularly among younger voters and in several regions of the country.

The relationship between the two politicians subsequently became more complicated as Nigeria’s opposition landscape evolved.

With political realignments already shaping the road to 2027, statements from former members of the same political ticket are likely to attract particular attention because they can influence how supporters interpret the events of the 2023 election.

Why Sowore’s latest attack matters

Sowore’s comments should also be viewed within the broader struggle for political space ahead of 2027.

The AAC candidate is positioning himself as an alternative to the established political figures likely to dominate the opposition conversation. His criticism of Obi, Atiku and other politicians is therefore not occurring in isolation; it forms part of his wider effort to distinguish his candidacy from Nigeria’s established political class.

By invoking his own encounter with Datti during the 2023 Peace Accord, Sowore is also attempting to reinforce a long-standing argument that Nigerians should look beyond campaign alliances and political branding when assessing presidential candidates.

The 2027 question

The disagreement comes as opposition politicians face the challenge of building a credible alternative ahead of the next presidential election.

For Obi, Atiku, Sowore, Datti and other political actors, the central challenge will not simply be attracting supporters. They will also have to explain previous political decisions, alliances and disagreements to an electorate increasingly focused on governance, economic conditions, security and accountability.

Whether the current exchange develops into a wider confrontation remains to be seen.

For now, Sowore’s accusation is a political claim, not an independently established fact. Datti’s earlier public statements defending Obi, however, provide important context for understanding why Sowore’s latest remarks have generated attention.

As the 2027 political contest develops, Nigerians will likely see more attempts by politicians to reinterpret the alliances and events of the 2023 election. The credibility of those competing narratives—and the evidence offered to support them—will be crucial for voters trying to separate political rhetoric from verifiable facts.