Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, former spokesperson for the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) and ex-special adviser on political affairs to the vice-president, has publicly urged President Bola Tinubu to abandon his re-election ambitions for 2027 and hand over to a younger, more energetic successor.
In a candid interview on Channels Television's Sunday Politics programme, Baba-Ahmed, who resigned from his advisory role in April, criticized the president's leadership, saying Tinubu has failed to channel his renowned political acumen into meaningful reforms.
"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,'" Baba-Ahmed remarked.
He acknowledged that Tinubu had fulfilled his long-stated goal of becoming president famously encapsulated in his "emi lokan" (it's my turn) declaration but argued the performance has fallen short.
"The Tinubu we used to know, with all this brilliant intelligence for scheming, hasn't shown that same hunger to fix things," he added, calling for the president to identify a "younger person, a healthier person, a more focused person" within the All Progressives Congress (APC) as his successor.
Baba-Ahmed also lambasted Tinubu's handling of recent crises, including the administration's response to U.S. President Donald Trump's comments on Nigeria, which he described as lacking the urgency and resolve expected from a leader.
"The truth is that Nigeria has deteriorated so badly that we cannot continue to run things as if they're normal," he warned, pointing to widespread economic hardship and security lapses.
The remarks, aired on November 30, 2025, have sparked reactions across political circles, with some APC loyalists dismissing them as sour grapes from a disgruntled ex-official, while opposition voices echoed calls for fresh leadership ahead of the 2027 polls. Tinubu's camp has yet to respond.
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