Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, former spokesperson for the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) and ex-special adviser on political affairs to the Vice President, has called on President Bola Tinubu to abandon any plans for a second term in 2027. He urged the president to support a younger, more capable candidate from his party instead.
Baba-Ahmed, who resigned from the Vice President’s office in April, made the comments during an interview on Channels TV on Sunday night, November 30. He expressed concern over what he described as Tinubu’s lack of urgency and drive in tackling Nigeria’s pressing challenges.
“The ambition to be president is fulfilled; now it is time to prioritise the nation,” Baba-Ahmed said. “The Tinubu we knew for his strategic brilliance has not shown the same determination to fix the country. He should identify a successor within his party — someone younger, healthier, and more focused — and make them his candidate.”
The former NEF spokesperson also criticised the president’s handling of emergencies, suggesting that Nigeria’s current state requires leadership with greater responsiveness and energy. “The country has deteriorated significantly. We cannot continue to manage as though everything is normal,” he added.
Baba-Ahmed’s remarks highlight growing debates over leadership effectiveness and succession planning ahead of the 2027 elections, as citizens and political figures assess Nigeria’s progress under Tinubu’s administration.