Hakeem Baba-Ahmed speaks on Peter Obi, Kwankwaso presidential ambition

Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, a former Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu in the Office of the Vice President, has called on Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso, to ditch ambitions of contesting in the 2027 presidential election.

Speaking on the future of Nigeria’s political leadership, Baba-Ahmed advised that Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, and Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), should step aside along with President Bola Tinubu and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

He argued that the current generation of political heavyweights has exhausted its ideas and impact, adding that they “have played themselves” and should now give way for a new generation of leaders with fresh visions and energy to move the country forward.

In an interview with Trust TV, he said: “Peter Obi, Kwankwaso should also step aside for the younger generation, alongside President Tinubu and Atiku.

“This particular generation has played itself out, they really have nothing to offer this country.

“We are going through the same politics again where there is bitterness and the winner takes it all, it has to be me at all cost, and when you get to power, you don’t have the energy and the strength to tackle the country.

“So long as it’s one of these guys, the rest will not step down, 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 for all of them to agree.

“The point I’m making is that the nation needs a new lease of life, I don’t see Nigeria with a bright future under these tired and elderly politicians who have spent the last 20 to 30 years just simply managing power,” he said.

Baba-Ahmed also faulted the decision of presidents to spend eight years in power.

He added: “One of the distracting things is this nonsense that once you are president, you must serve for two terms. Who said that? When the NEF realized that Buhari was bad news for this country, he wasn’t performing and not willing to fix this country, we rallied other groups in the country.

“We met here in Abuja and told the nation that we don’t trust Buhari with another four years, and we were right. Ohanaeze, NEF, Afenifere, and I think about four or five groups met in Abuja and said Buhari should not be given a second term.

“But now you hear things like he must do his eight years, what about the South? We have taken to very crude politics and put it on the constitution where everyone is saying the South must have its eight years because Buhari did.

“Where is this thing coming from? These are some of the rubbish that is poisoning the politics. Even if you can’t perform, what if you have health or age issues, must you remain president for eight years simply because you come from one part of the country? This is the kind of thinking that keeps us declining permanently.”