A prominent political voice from the North, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has advised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to abandon any intention of contesting again in 2027, insisting that the country needs a younger and more energetic candidate to steer the nation forward.
Baba-Ahmed, a former spokesperson of the Northern Elders Forum and until recently a senior aide to the Vice President, made the remarks during a televised interview.
His comments have stirred fresh conversations about the future of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the mood within the northern political bloc ahead of the next general election.
Speaking on the programme, Baba-Ahmed expressed disappointment over the president’s style of leadership and argued that Tinubu’s well-known political experience has not translated into the urgent governance Nigeria requires.
He stressed that the president’s earlier reputation as a master strategist has not reflected in the current management of national affairs.
During the interview, he did not shy away from criticism.
“I’m sorry, but I have to say this again. When I left his administration, one of the things I told many people was, ‘I wish President Tinubu would not run again in 2027,’” he said.
Baba-Ahmed recalled Tinubu’s long-standing ambition and suggested that having achieved the office he sought for many years, he should now prioritise the country’s larger interest. He added:
“First, he said his ambition was to be president, and he has now achieved that. He said, ‘emi lokan’, and he had his turn. But I don’t think he has run the country well.
“The Tinubu we used to know, the Tinubu with all this brilliant intelligence for scheming, hasn’t shown that same hunger to fix things.”
Baba-Ahmed insisted that the president should actively support a younger and more vibrant successor from his own party, someone he described as “a healthier person” and “a more focused person.”
He argued that the APC has enough competent individuals who can take on the responsibility if Tinubu is willing to lead the transition.
“He should find a replacement within his party, a younger person, a healthier person, a more focused person, and make him his candidate,” he said.
He further questioned the administration’s response to national emergencies and noted that Nigeria’s problems have worsened to a point where business-as-usual leadership cannot continue.
“Let’s go back to this Trump thing — I didn’t see a president who should respond to an emergency or a challenge in this manner, with the manner and spirit that he should. I didn’t see it. And it’s not just on this issue.
“The truth is that Nigeria has deteriorated so badly that we cannot continue to run things as if they’re normal.”
