In a bold political statement, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, former Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu and former spokesperson for the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), has called on Nigeria’s leading political figures to withdraw from the 2027 presidential race.
Speaking in an interview with Trust TV, Baba-Ahmed named Peter Obi, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Atiku Abubakar, and President Bola Tinubu among those he believes should step aside for younger leaders. He stressed that Nigeria is in dire need of fresh energy, new ideas, and leaders unburdened by past failures.
“This generation has played itself out. It has nothing more to offer this country,” he said. “We need a new lease of life, fresh leadership not weighed down by old political baggage.”
Baba-Ahmed criticized the notion that every president should serve two terms, calling it “crude politics” and “nonsense.” He emphasized performance over tenure and condemned the idea that regional or ethnic ties should justify extended time in office.
He recalled that in 2018, NEF, Afenifere, Ohanaeze, and other socio-political groups warned against President Buhari’s second term, noting that those warnings proved accurate in hindsight.
On the matter of power rotation, he said it has only served to trap Nigeria in a cycle of decline. “Even if a leader has health or age issues, must he stay for eight years just because of where he comes from?” he questioned.
Baba-Ahmed’s comments reflect growing calls for a generational power shift in Nigeria’s political landscape as the country inches closer to the 2027 general election.
