Tinubu’s Isolation Problem: A Nation Governed in Silence?
By IDNN Political Analysis Unit
When Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, former Special Adviser on Political Affairs to Vice President Kashim Shettima, spoke on Arise TV’s Prime Time, he didn’t mince words. In calm but loaded language, he described a presidency adrift from its inner circle—a Commander-in-Chief cut off from his troops. His statement is more than personal reflection; it is a public interrogation of the Tinubu administration’s inner workings and the implications for national stability.
“The president is genuinely isolated… If he’s not taking advice from those he appointed, who is he listening to?” Baba-Ahmed asked rhetorically.
This critique doesn’t come from opposition media, a disillusioned political rival, or a social media agitator. It comes from a man inside the Presidency, someone embedded within the institutional fabric of the executive arm.
Inside the Villa: Silence at the Top
Baba-Ahmed’s most damning observation is not that Tinubu is aloof—but that he is unavailable to his own appointees. The implications are stark:
- Policies may be crafted without genuine consultations.
- Ministries could be operating on auto-pilot or second-guessing intent.
- Communication gaps may result in conflicting public narratives and paralysis of leadership.
When Baba-Ahmed says he never sat with the president, not once in an advisory meeting, it calls into question the entire chain of command within the Presidency.
A Vacuum of Listening
Governance, at its core, is a feedback system. When that system fails—when the president does not engage with his own advisers—it fractures the policy architecture.
Baba-Ahmed paints a picture of a president shielded by gatekeepers, or worse, one who chooses silence. “We don’t understand if it’s by choice or circumstance,” he noted. The result? The people closest to the policy machinery have limited to no influence.
This void fosters either:
- Echo chambers where power brokers tell the president what he wants to hear
- Or a crisis of confidence, where even loyal appointees question the purpose of their roles
Divergence From Reality
One of the most alarming claims Baba-Ahmed makes is that the presidency seems to operate in a different Nigeria—disconnected from the despair on the streets.
“We leave the Villa, go home and watch real people talk. We know how desperate the country is… how high insecurity is. People are losing hope.”
He describes a surreal dissonance between the executive mindset and ground-level reality. This disconnect mirrors public concerns that Tinubu’s presidency is under-informed, over-managed by loyalists, and tone-deaf to urgent national issues.
Is Tinubu a President of Proxies?
If, as Baba-Ahmed suggests, the president isn’t listening to his appointed advisers, then who is influencing state decisions? This question sits at the heart of Nigeria’s power puzzle.
Three dangerous possibilities emerge:
- Shadow Advisers: Unelected individuals with unvetted access.
- Silos of Influence: Powerful ministries or state actors going rogue due to weak coordination.
- Policy Paralysis: A president trapped in indecision, unable to harness his team.
All three scenarios spell dysfunction.
Institutional Decay or Leadership Style?
Is this a structural breakdown or simply Tinubu’s leadership method—distant, hands-off, overly delegated? Nigeria has endured strong-man presidents and invisible presidents. Tinubu risks becoming the latter.
Even supporters may now question:
- Why is there no weekly presidential briefing with MDA heads?
- Why are crises like food inflation, naira instability, and mass layoffs met with silence?
- Why do even senior advisers describe themselves as observers?
A Ticking Clock
For a president less than a year into office, this kind of public indictment from a former insider is rare—and ominous. The perception that Nigeria is leaderless in plain sight could deepen citizen apathy and elite disengagement.
Tinubu’s presidency faces a choice:
- Recalibrate now, open the gates of power to competent counsel, and re-engage with both Nigerians and his own government
- Or allow the image of an isolated figurehead to calcify, weakening legitimacy and reform momentum
Bottom Line: Baba-Ahmed has pulled back the curtain. Whether Tinubu steps out of the shadows or remains governed by silence may shape the future of Nigeria more than any single policy or speech.
This is not about access. It’s about accountability.
