NewStats: 3,264,123 , 8,182,694 topics. Date: Monday, 09 June 2025 at 07:06 PM 2w2ar

Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, the political adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has resigned, Daily Trust reliably learnt.

Impeccable sources in the presidency confirmed yesterday that the former spokesman of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) tendered his resignation about two weeks ago.

The sources said Dr. Baba-Ahmed did not provide details of the reasons for his decision, only stating that it was on personal grounds. However, as of the time of filing this report, it was unclear whether the presidency had accepted his resignation.

Baba-Ahmed was appointed Special Adviser on Political Matters in the Office of Vice President Kashim Shettima in September 2023.

Over the past 17 months, he has represented the presidency at several public fora, including a recent national conference themed: “Strengthening Nigeria’s Democracy: Pathway to Good Governance and Political Integrity”, which held from 28th to 29th January, 2025 in Abuja.

Clash with Matawalle over NEF

Dr. Baba-Ahmed’s role in the presidency drew criticism at certain points. A notable criticism came from the current Minister of State for Defence, Bello Mohammed Matawalle.

In April 2024, Matawalle appeared to have taken an aim at Dr. Baba-Ahmed, when he said northern appointees must not remain silent in the face of intimidation or misrepresentation of the Tinubu istration.

His remarks came after Baba-Ahmed criticised Matawalle’s dismissal of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) as a “political paperweight”. That position by the minister was in reaction to the group’s statement that the North had made a mistake voting for Tinubu in 2023.

Baba-Ahmed had argued that the Tinubu istration would have been better served if Matawalle had highlighted his own achievements as a minister—along with those of other northern appointees—rather than attacking the NEF.

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

Matawalle fired back, insisting that government appointees had a duty to defend and promote the istration they served. “Dr Baba-Ahmed’s relationship and affinity with the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) is well known,” Matawalle said, adding that: “As an appointee of this istration, 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”.

The minister stressed further 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.

“As appointees from the North, we must take a stand, be unequivocal, and be counted among those working for the success of this istration. This is not the time to keep quiet in the face of intimidation and misrepresentation of the efforts and achievements of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu”, the junior minister maintained.


Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed at a glance

Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed (born September 11, 1955) is a Nigerian retired senior civil servant and former Chief of Staff to ex-Senate President, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki. He hails from Kaduna State. A practising Muslim, he has held several key positions in public service and governance.

Baba-Ahmed studied at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, the London School of Economics, and the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom. He holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree.

He began his career as a lecturer at the then University of Sokoto (now Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto) before ing the Kaduna State Civil Service. He later transferred to the Federal Civil Service, where he rose to the rank of Permanent Secretary.

During his career, Baba-Ahmed served as Permanent Secretary in various capacities, including in the Presidency and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. He also held the position of Secretary to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

A reform-minded public servant, he also served as Secretary to the Kaduna State Government. His contributions to governance earned him the national honour of Officer of the Federal Republic (OFR).

Baba-Ahmed is regarded as an elder statesman in Northern Nigeria. Before his appointment as Special Adviser on Political Matters to the President in the Office of the Vice President, he was the Director of Publicity and Advocacy for the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), where he spoke openly against policies that were perceived to be against the interests of the North, and of the various parts of Nigeria.

https://dailytrust.com/tinubus-political-adviser-hakeem-baba-ahmed-resigns/

There is surely a reason for this development. Perhaps he is now tired of defending the failure on seat.

Maybe he got tired of lies and propaganda of the government and decides to stand on the side of truth

You can't defend a failure.

fuckingAyaya:
You can't defend a failure.

A failure is your president. How does that sound to you?

Tinubu is not running a democratic government every sane mind should do same.

He is also the elder brother of LP's Vice presidential candidate in the last election.

All the best to him

Xannadu:

A failure is your president. How does that sound to you?

what have you benefited from the president or his policies?

fuckingAyaya:
what have you benefited from the president or his policies?

Answer mine and I'll answer yours.

Dem don sack am. 🤕

Accepting that appointment was the greatest mistake of Hakeem Baba-Ahmed.

Everything was wrong with it from the start.

Prior to the 2023 presidential election, every of his rhetorics tended to either Atiku or Obi. He viciously campaigned against APC for having damaged the country.

Again, his brother, Datti, was the running mate to Peter Obi. If they had won, he, Hakeem, would have had a greater political patronage.

If he had any iota of principle, like I thought he did, he shouldn’t have accepted that appointment in the first place.

Now, Tinubu and APC have tainted him and whatever he ever stood for.

How would he talk in public again now?

Shame!

He is tired of advising the failure in aso rock

What was he doing there before

An El Rufai boy

Maybe he finally realized that the dullard have nothing upstairs aside Tax and Suffering the Masses

2027 is otilo patapata. Even Shettima will vote against APC.

Watch and see how some clueless APC bandwagons will come and start saying how Dr baba is of no use to Tinubu's govt.😂😂😂

What an honorable decision. History will surely you kindly.
When the tides begin to turn and the system falters, it takes wisdom and integrity to step away while the ovation still echoes—knowing you were never part of the failure.
You're a rare contrast to the typical Nigerian politician with their 'sit-tight' mentality. Much respect to you, sir.

Maxymilliano:
Maybe[b] he got tired of lies and propaganda[/b] of the government and decides to stand on the side of truth

Yes na.
Tinubu's Government is known for lies and propaganda. That's why he employed over 50 media aids. To help him propagate lies. Thank God Nigerians are wiser

The o te ge has began ooo.. with Hakeem baba Ahmed 's resignation.. it's clear now even to the blind that the North has rejected Baba iyalojaaaa

Typing:


Yes na.
Tinubu's Government is known for lies and propaganda. That's why he employed over 50 media aids. To help him propagate lies. Thank God Nigerians are wiser

. I laugh when people say Nigerians are wiser,wait till 2027 u will know Nigerians are wiser in foolishness..take hellanus as a case study

He don chop finish.

What post is he contesting for?

Selfish North can no longer endure what they had given to the nation.

Hear it, Dan Arewa, Nigeria is larger than you.
No one is your slave. Not anymore.

We will be fine, without you blood sucking leaches.

After

He is tired of defending the undefendable

He was the Vice President's adviser, not the President's.

The Vice President nominates those he wants as his advisers, submits the names to the President, and if the President approves, the President appoints them.

.

Watch how they will blame Peter Obi for giving him "The Advice From A Mad Man."