Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, the Special Adviser on Political Matters to President Bola Tinubu in the Office of the Vice President, has resigned from his position, sources within the presidency have confirmed.
According to a national daily report on Friday, Baba-Ahmed, a former spokesman of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), submitted his resignation approximately two weeks ago. However, as of the time of reporting, it remains unclear whether the presidency has officially accepted his resignation.
Although the reasons for his departure have not been publicly disclosed, sources suggest that his decision was voluntary.
Baba-Ahmed’s time in office was marked by controversy, particularly regarding his affiliations with the NEF. His role drew criticism from several quarters, including the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Mohammed Matawalle.
In April 2024, Matawalle criticized northern appointees who, he claimed, remained silent amid criticism of the Tinubu administration. His remarks were widely interpreted as a direct attack on Baba-Ahmed, following the latter’s defense of the NEF after the group suggested that the North had erred in voting for President Tinubu in 2023.
Responding to the criticism, Baba-Ahmed countered that rather than attacking the NEF, Matawalle should focus on highlighting the contributions of northern ministers and other appointees in addressing security and poverty issues.
“Scathing criticism of NEF by the junior minister of defence, Matawalle, is ill-advised,” Baba-Ahmed stated. “He could have done a better job for this administration if he identified contributions of especially northern ministers and other appointees like me to improving security and reducing poverty in the North.”
Matawalle, however, maintained that government appointees had a responsibility to defend and promote the administration.
“As an appointee of this administration, it is his responsibility to work for its success, protect and defend the government against unjust and vicious attacks from those who hide under ethnic and other primordial interests to heat up the polity for myopic reasons,” Matawalle stated.
He further emphasized that “Every appointee of President Tinubu, including Dr. Baba-Ahmed, owes the government a duty to promote, elucidate, and advance its good works and commendable efforts across all sectors.”
Born on September 11, 1955, in Kaduna State, Baba-Ahmed has had an illustrious career in public service. A retired senior civil servant, he previously served as Secretary to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before his retirement. He also held the position of Chief of Staff to former Senate President Bukola Saraki during the 8th Senate.
He studied at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, and furthered his education at the London School of Economics and the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom, where he obtained a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree.
Baba-Ahmed began his professional journey as a lecturer at Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, before transitioning to the Kaduna State Civil Service. He later joined the Federal Civil Service, rising to the rank of Permanent Secretary and serving in key ministries, including the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
A recipient of the national honor of Officer of the Federal Republic (OFR), Baba-Ahmed has been a longstanding advocate for governance reforms and northern interests. Before joining the Tinubu administration, he served as the Director of Publicity and Advocacy for the NEF, where he frequently voiced concerns over policies perceived to be unfavorable to the North.
