POLITICAL Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has resigned his appointment
Presidency sources confirmed to Daily Trust that Baba-Ahmed, a former spokesman for the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), submitted his resignation about two weeks ago. However, as of the reporting time, it remains unclear whether the presidency has formally accepted his resignation.
Baba-Ahmed was appointed Special Adviser on Political Matters in the Office of Vice President Kashim Shettima in September 2023.
In September 2023, Baba-Ahmed was named Special Adviser on Political Matters in Vice President Kashim Shettima’s Office. He represented the presidency at a number of public gatherings throughout his term, such as the national conference in Abuja in January 2025 with the theme “Strengthening Nigeria’s Democracy: Pathway to Good Governance and Political Integrity.”
Resignation in Response to Criticism
There had been some criticism of Dr Baba-Ahmed’s position in the presidency. One significant point of dispute occurred in April 2024 when Bello Mohammed Matawalle, the Minister of State for Defence, chastised Baba-Ahmed and other northern appointees for not standing up for the administration in the face of allegations of deception.
Baba-Ahmed’s critiques of the NEF were criticised by Matawalle, especially Baba-Ahmed’s reaction to Matawalle’s dismissal of the group as a “political paperweight.” Baba-Ahmed had recommended that instead of criticising the NEF, Matawalle concentrated on emphasizing his own accomplishments as a minister.
Matawalle said that Baba-Ahmed and other government appointees had an obligation to protect and uphold the administration.
Matawalle underlined that “all of President Tinubu’s appointees, including Dr Baba-Ahmed, owe it to the government to promote, explain, and advance its good works and commendable efforts across all sectors.”
An Overview of Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed’s Career
Born on 11 September 1955, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed is a seasoned public servant with a wealth of knowledge of Nigerian civil service and governance. He is from the state of Kaduna.
Baba-Ahmed has a PhD and has attended the University of Sussex, the London School of Economics, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), and Zaria. Before entering the civil service and holding a number of positions, including Permanent Secretary in the Federal Civil Service, he started his career as a lecturer.
Throughout his career, he held notable posts such as Secretary to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Secretary to the Kaduna State Government. Baba-Ahmed received the national title of Officer of the Federal Republic (OFR) in recognition of his contributions to government.
Baba-Ahmed was the Director of Publicity and Advocacy for the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) prior to being appointed Special Adviser to the President. In this role, he regularly expressed his views on issues that affected the North and the larger Nigerian population.
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