This week, Nigeria’s political scene was shaken as Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, a former political adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, issued a stark and candid warning: Mr. President, step aside in 2027. In a nation where loyalty often serves as a political asset and silence is a means of survival, Baba-Ahmed’s remarks resonate like a thunderclap in an already tense national climate.
Baba-Ahmed was unequivocal in his message. With the composure of someone free from political constraints, he asserted that Tinubu has not demonstrated the enthusiasm, determination, or urgency expected from a leader striving to rescue a nation on the edge.
“I wish President Tinubu would not seek re-election in 2027,” he stated, his tone resolute and his conviction unwavering. “He has accomplished his goals. He proclaimed ‘Emilokan’, it is my turn and he achieved it. However, the Tinubu we once knew, the Tinubu who possessed a hunger and brilliance for strategy, has not exhibited that same desire to address Nigeria’s challenges.”
In a single statement, Baba-Ahmed reignited a discussion that many Nigerians contemplate but few dare to articulate: Has Tinubu lost the passion that once characterized him? This critique does not originate from an opposition party or foreign analysts, but from an individual who previously operated within the Presidential circle.
Baba-Ahmed further suggested what some may interpret as both a slight and a conciliatory gesture: he recommended that the President appoint a younger, healthier, and more clear-headed successor for the 2027 elections.
For a sitting president whose party has already elevated him to the 2027 campaign platform, this represents a significant act of political defiance.
However, the unfolding drama does not conclude here.
In May, during a national summit at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, the All Progressives Congress (APC) anointed Tinubu as its candidate for 2027, even prior to his public declaration of intent. APC governors, spearheaded by Hope Uzodimma, lavished praise on the President, expressing satisfaction with the “midterm review” of the Renewed Hope Agenda.
“We acknowledge the resolution that Mr. President carries our flag in 2027, and the governors take responsibility for delivering this mandate,” Uzodimma confidently declared.
Yet beneath the party’s staged unity lies a nation questioning whether the Renewed Hope Agenda has renewed anything at all. Inflation is biting, insecurity remains a stubborn tumor, and reforms, though ambitious, have left citizens gasping for survival.
Baba-Ahmed’s outburst may just be the first public crack in a party eager to project an image of control.
Is this the beginning of an internal mutiny within the APC?
Is this the voice of a frustrated insider who has witnessed the administration from behind closed doors?
Or is it a political calculation by those already positioning themselves for 2027?
What is certain is that Baba-Ahmed has lit a match, one that could illuminate uncomfortable truths or set off a wildfire in the ruling party.
As the countdown to 2027 quietly accelerates, one thing is clear: Nigeria’s political theatre is only just warming up, and the spotlight, once again, is fixed firmly on Aso Rock.
