Former spokesperson of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has called on former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to give up his long-standing quest to become Nigeria’s president and instead support the rise of younger, more dynamic political figures.
Baba-Ahmed, who recently resigned as Special Adviser on Political Matters in the Office of the Vice President, noted that Atiku—who has run for the presidency six times—should now adopt a mentor-like role.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television, he said, “If I had the chance, I’d tell Atiku the same thing. He’s done his bit. He’s been persistent. But now, he should play a fatherly role—help identify and support younger leaders.”
He believes that Nigeria needs fresh voices with energy and vision, not older politicians trying for another shot at power.
According to him, both Atiku and Labour Party’s Peter Obi should step aside and allow a younger generation to emerge.
“All these people—the best service they can render to this country is to retire themselves,” Baba-Ahmed said. “If they don’t, then Nigerians should retire them.”
He also noted that the opposition party, PDP, could have a real chance in the 2027 election if they back a younger and healthier candidate who brings fresh ideas.
“If they present someone younger, with fewer skeletons, better health and fresh ideas, they could wipe the floor with the APC,” he added.
Baba-Ahmed criticized the overemphasis on ethnicity in politics, urging Nigerians to look beyond the North-South divide.
“It doesn’t matter where the person comes from. At this point, anyone still talking about North or South is missing the point. We need competence and vision.”
He had earlier written an open letter to President Bola Tinubu advising him not to seek re-election, saying Nigeria needs new leadership to rebuild the country.
He added that running again in 2027 would be a serious error given the current economic and political state.
On why he resigned from Tinubu’s government, Baba-Ahmed revealed he was driven by patriotism when he joined the administration in June 2023, despite his previous opposition to the APC. However, he said he became disappointed by the lack of seriousness in fixing the country’s problems.
“I left because I didn’t see the fire, the commitment, the zeal to fix the country. Instead, things got worse,” he said. Despite his position, he claimed he never had direct access to the president. “I didn’t even meet the president throughout my tenure,” he said.
Regarding Nigeria’s current state, Baba-Ahmed painted a grim picture, especially in the North, which he said is suffering from poverty, insecurity, and a drug crisis.
He accused politicians of turning the APC into a “political refugee camp,” where people defect not out of belief but to avoid prosecution or hold onto power.
Baba-Ahmed also shared harsh criticism of former President Muhammadu Buhari, saying he did not represent northern interests.
“He didn’t represent the North—he represented himself,” he stated, calling Buhari’s administration the worst Nigeria has seen in his lifetime.
