This article aims to discuss the biography of Datti Baba-Ahmed, the vice-presidential nominee of the Labour Party in the 2023 Presidential Election, running alongside Peter Gregory Obi. As you read on, you’ll get an insight into the life of Datti Baba-Ahmed, right from his birth until now, January 2023. We’ll discuss his educational history, professional career, political career, and more. Let’s dive right in.
Below is Datti Baba-Ahmed’s biography: age, background, net worth and more:
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Early Life of Datti Baba-Ahmed
Datti Baba-Ahmed is one of the 33 children born to Baba Ahmed, who was a prominent Arab cattle trader from present-day Mauritania. Datti was born on July 7, 1969, in Tudun Wada, Zaria, in Kaduna State.
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Education History of Datti Baba-Ahmed
Datti Baba-Ahmed had his early education, that is primary and secondary school education, in Kaduna State. Upon completion of his secondary school education, Datti proceeded to the University of Maiduguri, Borno State, to study Economics. Thereafter, he went on to do his compulsory one-year National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) at the Federal University of Agriculture in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
After his NYSC, Datti went back to the University of Maiduguri to obtain a master’s degree in Economics. In 2006, while a member of the House of Representatives for Zaria, Datti bagged an MBA from the University of Wales, Cardiff, in the United Kingdom. That same year, (that’s 2006), he completed his Ph.D. studies at the University of Westminster.
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Professional Career of Datti Baba-Ahmed
Immediately after NYSC, Datti worked at Baze Research and Data Services Limited as a Project Coordinator. Later on, he worked as an Officer II in the Nigerian Security Printing and Ministry Company in Lagos State.
Afterward, he worked as a Banking Officer for First Bank of Nigeria Plc from July 1997 until December 1998. After leaving his position at First Bank of Nigeria Plc, in 1999, Datti returned to Baze Research and Data Services Limited, where he first started his professional career, but this time, as the managing director. He remained in that position from July 1999 until January 2003 when he decided to go into politics.
After his four-year term in the Federal House of Representatives came to an end in 2007, Datti returned to his business. In a bid to grow his business empire, Datti Ahmed applied for and received a provisional license from the National Universities Commission (NUC) for Baze University, which he established in 2011 in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Baze University is a leading private tertiary institution in Nigeria today, offering various academic programmes for undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. At the time of writing this article, Baze University offers 43 undergraduate degrees and 14 Master’s degrees. Baze University Hospital, the hospital of the university, is one of the biggest and most equipped private hospitals in Nigeria.
Aside from Baze Research and Data Services Limited and Baze University, Datti Baba-Ahmed also has vested interests in Baze Construction Limited.
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Political Career of Datti Baba-Ahmed
In the 2003 General Elections, Datti Baba-Ahmed, contested under the now-defunct All Nigeria’s People’s Party (ANPP) platform to represent the Zaria Federal Constituency in the Federal House of Representatives. He was victorious at the polls, leading him to represent the Zaria constituency in the lower chamber of Nigeria’s bicameral legislature (i.e. Federal House of Representatives).
During his time in the Federal House of Assembly, from 2003 until 2007, Datti Baba-Ahmed was recognised for his activism, speaking up against the corruption that held sway in the country’s political scene at that time. He was among the lawmakers that opposed then-President Olusegun Obasanjo’s ambition to modify the constitution so he could serve a third, four-year term as president of Nigeria. At the end of his four-year tenure in the Federal House of Assembly in 2007, Datti Baba-Ahmed did not contest for another term, instead, he went back to his being the top gun at Baze Business Grouping.
His next political adventure after his time at the Federal House of Representatives was contesting to be the senator representing Kaduna North Senatorial District in the 2011 General Elections. He ran under the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) platform and was victorious at the polls. He served as a Senator representing Kaduna North Senatorial District from 2011 until 2012 when the electoral tribunal overturned his victory, hence resulting in his leaving office. In his stead, the Peoples Democratic (PDP) candidate, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, served as senator for Kaduna North Senatorial District.
In 2019, Datti Baba-Ahmed was among the politicians who hoped to clinch the presidential ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), however, he was unsuccessful, as Atiku Abubakar won the primaries to be the PDP Presidential flag bearer, picking Peter Obi as his running mate, for the 2019 General Elections.
In 2022, Datti Baba-Ahmed picked up a governorship form of the PDP as one of the aspirants fighting to be the Kaduna gubernatorial flag bearer for the PDP. However, he pulled out of the primaries because he stated he wasn’t going to buy delegates as other aspirants.
After pulling out from the PDP gubernatorial primaries, Datti joined the Labour Party. And on July 8, 2022, Peter Obi, the Labour Party Presidential candidate, selected Datti to be his running mate for the 2023 General Elections.
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Personal Life of Datti Baba-Ahmed
Datti Baba-Ahmed is married to Hajiya Aisha Baba-Ahmed, and they have children together.
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Age of Datti Baba-Ahmed
Datti would turn 54 years on July 7, 2023.
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Net Worth of Datti Baba-Ahmed
Datti has been able to amass a sizable fortune from his businesses and politics, amounting to over $10 million.
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Additional Information on Datti Baba-Ahmed
Another worthwhile piece of information to know concerning Datti Baba-Ahmed is that he is a professor and an expert on Islamic jurisprudence. In addition, he’s well known for his philanthropic gestures, notable among them is that Datti built and donated two junior secondary schools with a total capacity of 4000 students. Over 6000 students have graduated from these two junior secondary schools built by Datti Baba-Ahmed to date.