Former Special Adviser on Political Matters to President Bola Tinubu, Hakeem Baba Ahmed, has declared that the single most important contribution former Vice President Atiku Abubakar can make to Nigeria is to abandon any plan to contest the 2027 presidential election.
Baba Ahmed made the statement during an appearance on Arise News Television on Thursday, where he delivered a blistering critique of opposition politics and Atiku’s repeated presidential bids. The programme was monitored by SaharaReporters.
The former presidential aide, who recently advised President Tinubu against seeking re-election in 2027 over what he described as a failure to improve the quality of life of Nigerians, argued that Atiku stepping aside would mark a major break from Nigeria’s cycle of recycled political leadership.
According to him, Atiku’s withdrawal from the race would send a strong signal to Nigerians that a new political culture is possible, especially within the opposition.
“The most important thing that ADC can do and the single most important commitment that former Vice President Atiku can make to this country in all his years of labour and strive to build a democratic process in this country is to decide not to run,” Baba Ahmed said.
“You’ve got to do something that is so dramatically outside the box that Nigerians can sit up and say, ah, these are not just another recycled politicians trying to replace Tinubu.”
Baba Ahmed maintained that such a decision is entirely within Atiku’s control and could fundamentally reshape opposition politics ahead of the next general election.
“And of all those things, it has to be something that Atiku could do. One of them is not to keep insisting that he has to run. And I will give you my reasons,” he said.
