Hakeem Baba-Ahmed Resignation: Tinubu’s Adviser Quits Amid Northern Discontent and Backroom Pressure
By IDNN Political Desk
“Don’t stain yourself.”
That was the advice Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed claims he received before accepting a political appointment from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration. And now, less than two years later, he’s walked away — just as quietly as he entered the presidency.
Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, a respected elder statesman, academic, and former spokesman for the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), has resigned from his post as Special Adviser on Political Matters in the Office of Vice President Kashim Shettima. Though his resignation was submitted two weeks ago, according to insider reports, the presidency has yet to publicly acknowledge or confirm it.
But behind this quiet exit is a political earthquake — and the aftershocks are already being felt across the north and within Tinubu’s inner circle.
A Position That Never Sat Well With the North
From the moment Baba-Ahmed accepted the role in September 2023, he was a man under fire from his own backyard. Known for his fierce defense of northern interests and his open criticism of southern political dominance, Baba-Ahmed’s alignment with Tinubu’s government was seen by many northern power blocs as a betrayal.
“Don’t stain yourself,” he recalls people warning him — a cryptic but loaded message about aligning with a presidency perceived, in some circles, as dismissive of northern priorities.
His tenure was marked by uncomfortable contradictions: defending an administration he once criticized, navigating the fallout of a region that increasingly saw him as a sellout, and attempting to bridge political divides while standing on shaky ground.
Cracks in the Wall: Matawalle vs. Baba-Ahmed
Things came to a head in April 2024, when Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, publicly blasted northern appointees in Tinubu’s government — naming Baba-Ahmed directly — for “failing to defend the administration.”
That wasn’t just a public jab. It was an elite-level dressing down, and it opened the floodgates for what became a slow but steady political retreat by Baba-Ahmed.
The former NEF spokesman clapped back, questioning why the Minister wasn’t showcasing his own achievements rather than attacking others. It was a rare moment of defiance — but also one that signaled the deep divisions within the northern ranks of the Tinubu presidency.
So Why Did He Really Resign?
While no official reason has been published, the signs are clear:
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Mounting pressure from northern traditional power brokers who felt betrayed by his silence.
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Loss of credibility within the NEF circles, who believed Baba-Ahmed’s acceptance of Tinubu’s appointment undermined their moral leverage.
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A presidency increasingly under scrutiny, where voices like his became politically inconvenient.
Simply put: Baba-Ahmed found himself trapped between loyalty and legacy — and he chose to protect the latter.
A Man of the System Who Knew When to Leave It
Born in Kaduna State in 1955, Dr. Baba-Ahmed is no stranger to governance. From serving as Secretary to the INEC to holding high-level roles in the civil service, his resume is elite. He’s a scholar, a policy thinker, and a veteran bureaucrat.
But politics isn’t just about intellect — it’s about perception. And when your people think you’ve crossed the line, even your legacy is up for debate.
What Happens Next?
In a political climate this toxic, resignations are rarely just personal decisions — they’re power plays, warnings, and sometimes, preemptive strikes. Is Baba-Ahmed returning to NEF to lead a new opposition bloc? Is he setting himself up for 2027 influence? Or is this a man retreating into the shadows to protect his name?
Whatever the case, the Tinubu presidency just lost one of its most experienced minds — and maybe its last bridge to the north’s critical moderate elite.
IDNN Sound Off
Is Hakeem Baba-Ahmed a principled patriot or a political escape artist?
Did the north force him out, or did he walk away on his own terms?
Is Tinubu’s northern alliance crumbling right before our eyes?
🗳️ Let the comments begin.