Baba-Ahmed Claims Buhari Viewed Tinubu As ‘Bad News’ For Nigeria, Resisted His Presidency
Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, national chairman of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), has claimed that former President Muhammadu Buhari was reluctant to support President Bola Tinubu’s emergence as his successor in 2023 because he considered him bad news for Nigeria.
Baba-Ahmed made the allegation at a summit organised by the Northern Elders Forum. His remarks were captured in a video published on Symfoni’s YouTube channel on Saturday.
Speaking at the event, the PRP chairman said Nigerians should have questioned Tinubu’s presidential ambition when he declared “Emilokan,” a Yoruba expression meaning “it is my turn,” during the build-up to the 2023 presidential election.
According to him, the statement should have raised concerns about Tinubu’s motivation for seeking the country’s highest political office.
“Nigerians ought to have known there was something wrong the day Tinubu said ‘It’s my turn’. Maybe we missed it,” he said.
He questioned the implication of such a declaration, arguing that the presidency of a country with approximately 250 million people should not be treated as an individual’s entitlement.
Baba-Ahmed further alleged that Buhari resisted pressure from some individuals who wanted Tinubu to succeed him.
“Even Buhari saw Tinubu as bad news for this country. In fairness to him, he is not around him. Buhari resisted some people who insisted it had to be Tinubu,” he said.
The PRP chairman also launched a fresh criticism of Tinubu’s administration, accusing it of worsening the country’s condition since taking office.
He described the administration’s performance as disappointing and insisted that Nigerians must work towards ending what he characterised as years of abuse, neglect and plunder.
“We are very resilient people. We have seen crises bigger than this, and we survived it. We survived it, and we will survive this one,” Baba-Ahmed said.
He added that Nigeria must overcome its current challenges for the sake of future generations.
Baba-Ahmed Accuses Tinubu Of Failure Across Key Sectors
The PRP chairman also accused Tinubu of prioritising his political ambition over the welfare of Nigerians, claiming that the administration had performed poorly across major indicators of national development.
“We are at the bottom. There is no way to go anymore. Every index of failure shows in this administration,” he said.
Baba-Ahmed also faulted the president for not personally appealing to Nigerians for another term, alleging that Tinubu had instead relied on political allies to campaign for his re-election.
He further criticised northern governors for allegedly failing to adequately communicate the economic difficulties and growing dissatisfaction among residents of the region to the president.
Opposition Coalition Targets Tinubu In 2027
On the political front, Baba-Ahmed disclosed that opposition parties were working towards forming a coalition capable of challenging Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
He said politicians involved in the discussions had demonstrated a willingness to put aside their differences and pool their resources to build a formidable opposition.
“What we have seen is an incredible willingness for politicians to come together and say, let’s put aside some of our differences and see if we can actually create a momentum strong enough to remove this Tinubu,” he said.
He added that the coalition would eventually produce a presidential candidate and urged Nigerians opposed to Tinubu’s re-election to support whoever emerges as its flag bearer.
“There will be a candidate that will be produced by this coalition. Vote for whoever he is,” he stated.
Baba-Ahmed also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure that the 2027 general election reflects the wishes of Nigerian voters.
He maintained that a credible election would determine the country’s political direction, declaring that Tinubu’s chances of retaining power would be significantly affected if the process reflected the people’s will.
