Former Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has expressed that neither President Tinubu nor former Vice President Atiku Abubakar should run in the 2027 presidential election, emphasizing the need for fresh leadership in Nigeria.
Speaking on Tuesday during the Politics Today programme on Channels Television, Baba-Ahmed argued that both leaders have a duty to allow Nigerians to choose from a new generation of political figures.
He stated that if it were up to him, neither Tinubu nor Atiku would contest, noting that stepping aside would provide the country with a wider range of options.
Baba-Ahmed suggested that President Tinubu might not have the capacity to govern beyond 2027, pointing out that by then he would have completed a four-year term and should consider passing the baton to a younger, healthier, and more governance-focused leader.
Baba-Ahmed expressed a similar opinion regarding Atiku, asserting that the former vice president has a responsibility to the nation not to pursue the presidency again.
He said: “I had an interview here where I said that if I had my way, two people would not run in 2027. They will not run at all. They are President Tinubu and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. They have a really good chance of giving Nigerians a choice to pick the best candidate.
“The reason why President Tinubu shouldn’t run, I think, is that he has run out of steam. I don’t think that he has the capacity to continue to govern this country beyond 2027. I’m speaking honestly, without any prejudice to him. I think he’s fulfilled his ambition and become president of this country. By 2027, he would have served four years. It would have been the best time for President Tinubu to say, ‘I need a younger person. I need a healthier person. I need somebody who is more focused on governance.’
“And for Vice President Atiku, the same thing. They really owe this country the responsibility to say, ‘We don’t have to be presidents in 2027.’ The country needs fresh blood. The country needs a new lease of life.”
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