By Oso Abidemi
Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, former special adviser on political matters to the vice president, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to bow out of the 2027 presidential race and pave the way for younger, visionary leaders to take Nigeria forward.
In a strongly worded open letter made public on Wednesday, Baba-Ahmed urged Tinubu to shelve any re-election ambition in favor of what he described as a historic chance to shape a lasting legacy.
“Step aside—not for your opponents, but for a new generation of Nigerians who can carry the nation forward with fresh energy and ideas,” he stated, warning that pursuing a second term could risk governance paralysis and public disillusionment.
Baba-Ahmed, who resigned from the presidency just days earlier, claimed Tinubu’s government has failed to convert the goodwill of his inauguration into effective leadership.
He described the Renewed Hope Agenda as “a set of campaign promises,” lacking a clear roadmap for governance.
He also knocked the president’s cabinet composition, stating that over half of the ministers are unfit for the serious task of restoring public trust, security, and economic stability.
In a piercing critique, the former adviser accused Tinubu of running a distant and exclusive government, disconnected from the people and deaf to national grievances.
He said the president’s leadership style has isolated him from even those who could help his administration succeed.
“Your closed-door leadership, your indifference to complaints of ethnic bias, and the sense that you govern from abroad have painted a picture of an isolated leader,” Baba-Ahmed lamented.
He further warned that Nigeria’s regions are growing restless under Tinubu’s rule, citing widespread discontent, insecurity, and economic hardship.
According to him, without a radical shift in focus, Tinubu risks either another term of failure or a complete loss of legacy.
“Two years is still enough time to make a mark,” he noted, “but only if the president stops chasing 2027 and starts governing decisively.”
Baba-Ahmed, a longstanding political commentator and critic, reminded Tinubu that power comes with the responsibility to ease the suffering of citizens, not just to secure political survival.
In reaction, the presidency dismissed the letter as politically motivated.
Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga said Baba-Ahmed’s resignation and sudden criticism reveal his alignment with opposition elements led by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party’s Peter Obi.
Still, the call by Baba-Ahmed is likely to stir conversations within political circles as Nigeria braces for another pivotal election cycle.
