Former spokesperson of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has urged President Bola Tinubu to abandon any intention of seeking a second term in 2027 and instead back a younger, more competent candidate from within the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Baba-Ahmed, who resigned as Special Adviser on Political Matters to the Vice-President in April, made the comments during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics.
According to him, President Tinubu has not demonstrated the energy or urgency required to address the country’s deepening challenges, despite his longstanding reputation as a political strategist.
“I’m sorry, but I have to repeat this. When I left the administration, one of the things I told many people was: I wish President Tinubu would not run again in 2027,” he said.
“He said his ambition was to become president, and he has 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 knew, the one with all the political brilliance for scheming, has not shown the same hunger to fix things.”
Baba-Ahmed said the president should identify a replacement within the APC: “a younger person, a healthier person, a more focused person,” and support such an individual as his preferred candidate.
He added that Tinubu possesses the influence to rally the political class if he chooses to lead decisively, but has failed to do so.
Referring to the fallout from the “Trump” comment controversy, Baba-Ahmed said he did not see the responsiveness expected from a leader facing a national emergency.
“It’s not just this issue. The truth is that Nigeria has deteriorated so badly that we cannot continue to run things as if they’re normal,” he said.
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