••Former Presidential Aide Claims He Was Rendered Idle, Cites Lack of Influence and Northern Region Neglect
By OBSERVERS TIMES
Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, the immediate past special adviser to President Bola Tinubu on political affairs in the office of the Vice President, has publicly disclosed the reasons behind his resignation, stating he was never given the opportunity to fulfill his advisory role. In a video circulating online, Baba-Ahmed asserted that he was effectively sidelined and unable to provide the counsel he was appointed to deliver.
“It was President Bola Tinubu who appointed me as his special adviser in the [office of the vice president],” Baba-Ahmed explained. “My job description demands that I advise the president through the vice president.”
However, he revealed that his experience was far from what he expected. “Unfortunately, I was in the government for over a year and some months but never had the opportunity to meet or advise the president,” he stated. “Everything I had seen or foresaw to advise and offer suggestions was just between me and Kashim Shettima [Vice President].”
Baba-Ahmed, a seasoned political figure and former spokesman of the Northern Elders Forum, highlighted the inherent limitations of the Vice President’s office in the Nigerian presidential structure. “I understand how the politics of the Nigerian presidency is structured,” he said. “Vice President offices are mostly like observers who only watch and see how things are done. They are not mostly involved in decision-making. And if you made attempts to directly engage, you might be accused of having ulterior motives. That is the tradition, and it doesn’t start under the current administration.”
Drawing on his extensive experience in the federal government, Baba-Ahmed emphasized his familiarity with the inner workings of the presidential villa. “I have worked with the federal government for 22 years, and most of my years of service were in the Villa. So I’m conversant with the power play there,” he noted.
He further elaborated on his attempts to address his concerns with the Vice President. “When I noticed the situation and began to complain to the Vice President about my plight, I told him I came with clear intention after he had invited me to come join the administration; they said they needed people like us to advise them, caution and offer guidance. But I have realised that this is not what’s going on. We came in and sat idly. But I endured for a while so that I won’t be accused of impatience. And I thought that a lot of things were not going on right , and if I continue staying, I don’t have the means to correct anything. Because they don’t even recognise our existence to even seek our advice on the way forward. It was as though we were not there to help. To some people it might mean nothing, but for me it’s a big deal. I came to be a part of the process that would repair the damages done to the country by the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari. Buhari caused severe damage to this country and the northern region.”
Baba-Ahmed also expressed disappointment over the administration’s perceived neglect of the Northern region’s challenges. “There was a lot of advice I would have to offer to the president that would uplift the Northern region,” he said. “We haven’t seen evidence that they are repairing the North and there is no proof that they have plans to mitigate the issues plaguing the region.”
His resignation underscores concerns about the administration’s advisory structure and its approach to addressing regional issues.
