Former political adviser to President Bola Tinubu in the office of the Vice President, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has criticised the ongoing efforts to form a political coalition to oust the President in the 2027 general election, describing the movement as disappointing, self-serving, and lacking in national vision.
Speaking during an interview on Arise News Channel’s ‘The Morning Show’ on Monday, he distanced himself from the initiative and expressed concern over what he called a wasted opportunity to build a credible opposition.
“Let me be fair and say that I’m not involved at all, at any level, in the coalition discussions,” Baba-Ahmed said. “I’m just an observer who is watching with a lot of worry that an opportunity to create a strong opposition to the ruling party is being messed up by people who insist that they must be the face of that opposition.”
Baba-Ahmed noted that many of the political figures spearheading the coalition have failed to inspire confidence or present a compelling alternative to President Tinubu’s administration.
“These are people who have been governors, vice-presidents, ministers. Some of them have contested three times for president. Now they are telling Nigerians, ‘trust us again.’ But Nigerians can see through that. They don’t represent a different future.”
According to him, the coalition effort is flawed from the ground up, as it was being controlled by the same old political elite who have dominated Nigeria’s political scene for decades. He criticised the manner in which decisions were being made within the coalition.
“It’s the wrong approach. They meet, agree among themselves, and say, ‘We’ve decided this one will be this, and that one will be that.’ Then they invite Nigerians in. That’s not how to build a credible opposition.”
Calling for a political and generational shift, Baba-Ahmed urged the familiar political players to step aside and allow new, credible Nigerians to take the lead in offering the country a fresh political direction.
“What they need is a complete departure from who they are, what they’ve done, and what they still represent. They can work behind the scenes, but new faces must emerge to give Nigerians real hope.”
He also decried the lack of vision and meaningful engagement with the issues affecting everyday Nigerians, warning that the coalition risks becoming a power grabber rather than a movement for change.
“Where is the vision? Where are the younger Nigerians who should be leading this country? Where is the concern that violence is destroying our communities?” he asked. “Politics should be about the people, not just about getting rid of President Tinubu.”
Dr. Baba-Ahmed concluded with a stark warning, “unless opposition leaders put forward a clear, people-centered agenda with credible leadership, they may inadvertently help the All Progressives Congress (APC) retain power in 2027.”
“What they’re doing is simply handing over the country back to a president they claim they want to defeat,” he stated.
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