Former Special Adviser on Political Matters to President Bola Tinubu, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has declared that the North will determine its political direction ahead of the 2027 presidential election within the next six months.
Speaking in a video alongside Professor Usman Yusuf, former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme, Baba-Ahmed also asserted that no presidential candidate can win Nigeria’s top seat without the support of the northern region.
“In the next six months, the North will decide where it stands. If the rest of the country wants to join us, fine. If not, we will go our own way. One thing is clear: nobody can become president of Nigeria without northern support,” he stated.
He stressed that the North seeks leadership that truly understands its challenges and can deliver meaningful solutions.
“We want a government that understands our problems and can address them. After Buhari’s eight years, we became wiser. Now, we are in another government, and we are still crying. Is crying all we know how to do?” he asked.
Baba-Ahmed reflected on the region’s past, particularly the devastating era of the Boko Haram insurgency, which he said forced unity across religious and ethnic divides in the North.
“Before Buhari became president, Boko Haram was bombing mosques, churches, Abuja, and Lagos. That was a time northerners had to unite. Today, no politician can just show up and expect northerners to fall in line. Who are you?” he questioned.
He warned that any attempt to manipulate the upcoming elections would have serious consequences, especially if the North continues to feel excluded or marginalised in national affairs.
“If they plan to rig the election, they should be careful. It won’t be good for Nigeria. The North is watching. Elders, masses, and interest groups will soon say ‘enough is enough.’ The injustice and sidelining must stop,” he warned.
Baba-Ahmed called on northerners to abandon voting based on religious or ethnic identity and instead focus on merit and competence.
“We are tired of being deceived into voting based on religion or ethnicity. That era is over. We just want a right leader, let him fall from heaven, we just want someone who will solve our problems,” he added.
