Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, former Special Adviser on Political Matters to President Bola Tinubu, has stated that no politician can secure the Nigerian presidency in 2027 without the support of the north.
Speaking in Kaduna alongside Professor Usman Yusuf, he declared that the region would soon determine its political direction, with or without alignment from other parts of the country. He urged the north to reject deceptive leaders and emphasized that past administrations, including that of Muhammadu Buhari, failed to address the region’s core problems. Highlighting the impact of insecurity, especially the Boko Haram insurgency, Baba-Ahmed called for unity among northerners across religious and ethnic lines.
He warned against the continued marginalisation of the region, cautioning that rigging future elections could trigger serious consequences. Baba-Ahmed encouraged northerners to abandon identity politics and vote based on competence and integrity rather than ethnicity or religion. He lamented the recurring disappointment from successive governments and urged the electorate to demand leaders who genuinely understand and are committed to solving the region’s challenges. “We just want the right leader,” he declared, stressing that the north is politically awake and watching closely as the 2027 elections approach.
