Tinubu’s Political Adviser, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, Resigns

The Special Adviser on Political Matters to President Bola Tinubu in the Office of the Vice President, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has tendered his resignation, sources within the presidency have confirmed.

According to report by a national daily on Friday, Baba-Ahmed, a former spokesman of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), reportedly submitted his resignation about two weeks ago. However, as of the time of this report, it remained unclear whether the presidency has officially accepted his resignation or not.

While the reasons for his resignation were not publicly disclosed, insiders suggested that it was based on his personal volition.

Baba-Ahmed’s time in the presidency was not without controversy. His role, particularly his affiliations with the NEF, drew criticism from some quarters, including Minister of State for Defence, Bello Mohammed Matawalle.

In April 2024, Matawalle criticised northern appointees who, in his view, remained silent in the face of criticisms against the Tinubu administration. His remarks were widely seen as a direct jab at Baba-Ahmed, following the latter’s defence of the NEF after the group suggested that the North had made a mistake in voting for President Bola Tinubu in 2023.

Baba-Ahmed had argued that rather than attacking the NEF, Matawalle should have focused on showcasing his achievements in government.

“Scathing criticism of NEF by the junior minister of defence, Matawalle, is ill-advised,” Baba-Ahmed wrote. “He could have done a better job for this administration if he identified contributions of especially northern ministers and other appointees like me to improving security and reducing poverty in the North.”

Matawalle, however, fired back, insisting that all government appointees had a duty to promote the administration they served.

“As an appointee of this administration, it is his responsibility to work for its success, protect and defend the government against unjust and vicious attacks from those who hide under ethnic and other primordial interests to heat up the polity for myopic reasons,” Matawalle stated.

He further emphasised that, “Every appointee of President Tinubu, including Dr. Baba-Ahmed, owes the government a duty to promote, elucidate, and advance its good works and commendable efforts across all sectors.”

Born on September 11, 1955, in Kaduna State, Baba-Ahmed has had a distinguished career in public service. A retired senior civil servant, he previously served as Secretary to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before retirement. He also served as Chief of Staff to former Senate President Bukola Saraki in the 8th Senate.

He studied at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, as well as the London School of Economics and the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom, where he earned a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree.

Baba-Ahmed began his career as a lecturer at Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, before transitioning into the Kaduna State Civil Service. He later moved to the Federal Civil Service, where he rose to the rank of Permanent Secretary, serving in various ministries, including the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

A recipient of the national honour of Officer of the Federal Republic (OFR), Baba-Ahmed has long been an advocate for governance reforms and northern interests. Before joining the Tinubu administration, he was the Director of Publicity and Advocacy for the NEF, a position in which he often spoke against policies perceived to be detrimental to the North.