Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, a former Special Adviser on Political Matters to President Bola Tinubu, says the North will soon decide its political direction, and no candidate will win the 2027 presidential election without the region’s support.
He made the remarks in a video interview that gained traction on social media. In the discussion, Baba-Ahmed appeared alongside Professor Usman Yusuf, former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme. Known for speaking up on northern issues, Baba-Ahmed emphasized that the region is more politically alert and won’t back candidates who ignore its concerns.
He pointed to insecurity, poverty, and marginalization as major issues affecting the North and warned that politicians who fail to understand or address these problems will be rejected. Baba-Ahmed stated clearly that the region wants leadership that can solve its problems, not one that makes promises and delivers little.
He urged northern voters to reject politicians who use ethnicity and religion to divide and deceive. He also strongly warned against election malpractice, saying any attempt to rig the 2027 elections would backfire and harm national unity.
Baba-Ahmed, who once served as spokesperson for the Arewa Elders Forum, recently stepped down from his advisory role in the presidency. According to him, he did so to return to the larger movement pushing for northern political relevance and justice.
He revealed that the North’s political direction would become clear in the next six months. Once this direction is established, he said, other regions will either cooperate or go their own way.
He called for an end to political exclusion, saying the region has been patient for too long. “Enough is enough,” he added, declaring that northern voices—elders, youth, and civil groups—are getting ready to speak with one voice.
Baba-Ahmed made it clear that the outcome of the 2027 elections will be shaped by the North’s choices, insisting that no presidential candidate can succeed without its backing.
