Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, a former Special Adviser to Vice President Kashim Shettima, has urged prominent political figures including Peter Obi, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Bola Tinubu, and Atiku Abubakar not to contest the 2027 presidential election.
In an interview with Trust TV, Baba-Ahmed said Nigeria needs a generational shift in leadership, asserting that the older political class has exhausted its usefulness and has little left to offer the country.
“This particular generation has played itself out. They really have nothing to offer this country,” Baba-Ahmed stated. “Peter Obi and Kwankwaso should step aside for the younger generation—just like Tinubu and Atiku. We keep recycling the same tired politics where power is pursued at all cost, but once in office, there’s no capacity or energy to lead.”
He expressed skepticism that these political figures would voluntarily step down for the country’s good, adding, “I don’t expect all of them to go into a room and say let’s all step down for Nigeria. I’m not sure their patriotism is that high.”
Baba-Ahmed also criticized the prevailing expectation that presidents should automatically serve two terms, regardless of performance. Citing the example of former President Muhammadu Buhari, he recalled how various regional groups, including the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), opposed Buhari’s re-election after judging his first term a failure.
“One of the distractions in our politics is this nonsense that once you are president, you must serve for eight years. Where is that written?” he asked. “Even if a leader is underperforming or facing health issues, must they remain in office just to fulfill a regional quota?”
The former aide warned that such political thinking is damaging the country and preventing needed reforms. He called for a complete reimagining of Nigeria’s leadership, starting with retiring the old guard ahead of 2027.
