Tinubu Has Failed – Baba-Ahmed Declares

A former special adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on political matters, Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has delivered a scathing assessment of the current administration, declaring that it has failed to meet public expectations and has done little to improve the quality of life for ordinary Nigerians.

Baba-Ahmed resigned from the Tinubu cabinet a few months ago.

Speaking on Political Paradigm, a programme aired on Channels Television on Tuesday, Baba-Ahmed stated that Nigerians had hoped the Tinubu presidency would mark a departure from the inefficiencies and hardships that characterised the previous administration, but that hope, he said, has been dashed.

“Clearly, the Tinubu administration has failed expectations that it was going to radically improve the quality of governance of President Muhammadu Buhari,” he said.

Baba-Ahmed, who previously served as a spokesperson for the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), highlighted the controversial removal of the petrol subsidy as one of the most impactful policies of the current administration, but criticised the way the resultant savings have been handled.

“The removal of the fuel subsidy was supposed to free up resources for development. But what we see is waste, abuse, and a failure to invest in things that actually improve the lives of Nigerians,” he remarked.

While acknowledging that reversing the subsidy removal would be unrealistic at this stage, he emphasised that President Tinubu must ensure that the funds generated are not squandered, particularly at the subnational level.

“It is not just about removing subsidies. It is about what you do with the savings. Unfortunately, we see so much waste, so much abuse of resources, and corruption going on—especially at the state and local government levels,” he lamented.

Baba-Ahmed urged President Tinubu to take bold steps to address the entrenched problems of poor governance and lack of accountability across all tiers of government. He particularly called for more stringent oversight of state governors, many of whom belong to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

“The president needs to show leadership. He must demand accountability from governors, particularly those from his own party. There has to be a visible effort to confront corruption, insecurity, and poverty head-on,” he said.

The former adviser stressed the need for prioritising infrastructure, social development, and the protection of public funds. He noted that citizens continue to suffer while public officials enrich themselves at the expense of national development.

“There’s a widening gap between the government and the people. What we need is leadership that is people-focused and committed to using public resources for the public good.”

In a broader critique, Baba-Ahmed expressed disappointment in Nigeria’s democratic journey since 1999, arguing that successive administrations have failed to deliver good governance.

“Nigeria is a tragedy. Even though we have a democratic system, the key element has been missing—that element is the idea that people elect leaders to serve, protect their resources, and use them to build a country that is in the interest of its citizens.”

Tinubu Has Failed – Baba-Ahmed Declares is first published on The Whistler Newspaper