A few weeks ago, when Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed dropped out as a hopeful of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Kaduna gubernatorial race, saying the process of the primary was “inconsistent” with his purpose of being in politics, little did he know that he would become a running mate to one of the leading presidential candidates in the 2023 general election.
On Friday, Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), unveiled Baba-Ahmed as his running mate for the 2023 general election. While making the announcement at a press conference in Abuja, Obi said he settled for Baba-Ahmed after a series of consultations owing to his records in the private and public sectors.
Obi said Baba-Ahmed is eminently qualified and “fits the bill” of what he wants to achieve when he becomes the president of Nigeria.
But who exactly is Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed?
BORN INTO A BIG FAMILY OF 33 CHILDREN
Datti was born in Zaria, Kaduna state, in 1969 to a big family of 33 children. Baba Ahmed, his father, was an Arab cattle trader from Mauritania who was said to be a professor and expert on Islamic jurisprudence.
Datti had his secondary school education at Airforce Military School, Jos, Plateau state, and then proceeded to the University of Maiduguri in Borno state where he obtained bachelor’s and master’s degrees in economics. He went ahead to secure an MBA from the University of Wales, Cardiff and in 2006, he successfully completed his PhD studies at the University of Westminster, London.
