ABUJA, Nigeria – Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, the political adviser to President Bola Tinubu, has resigned from his position, according to reports emerging from Abuja on Friday, April 4, 2025.
This comes after two weeks of speculation regarding his departure.
Daily Trust reported that anonymous sources within the presidency confirmed that Dr. Baba-Ahmed submitted his resignation about two weeks ago, citing personal grounds as the reason for his decision.
However, the sources did not specify the exact nature of his personal reasons, and it remains unclear whether his resignation has been formally accepted by the presidency.
Dr. Baba-Ahmed was appointed Special Adviser on Political Matters to Vice President Kashim Shettima in September 2023.
Throughout his tenure, he represented the presidency at various public forums, including the recent national conference held in Abuja from January 28 to 29, 2025, which focused on strengthening Nigeria’s democracy.
His role involved offering political advice and engaging with stakeholders on the administration’s goals.
Dr. Baba-Ahmed’s time in office was not without controversy.
In April 2024, he found himself at odds with the current Minister of State for Defence, Bello Mohammed Matawalle, after Baba-Ahmed criticized Matawalle’s dismissal of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) as a “political paperweight.”
This criticism followed the forum’s statement suggesting that the North had made a mistake by supporting Tinubu in the 2023 elections.
Baba-Ahmed responded by suggesting that Matawalle should highlight the achievements of northern appointees to the administration instead of attacking the NEF.
Matawalle fired back, asserting that it was the duty of all government appointees to defend the administration, promoting its successes rather than focusing on political differences.
Matawalle insisted that Baba-Ahmed, as an appointee, had an obligation to defend the government and its efforts, especially in the face of external criticism of the administration.
Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, born on September 11, 1955, is a seasoned public servant and former Chief of Staff to former Senate President Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki.
A native of Kaduna State, Baba-Ahmed is a practicing Muslim who has held numerous significant positions in both state and federal public service.
He earned his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) from prestigious institutions such as Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, the London School of Economics, and the University of Sussex.
Baba-Ahmed began his career as a lecturer at the University of Sokoto before moving on to the Kaduna State Civil Service, eventually transitioning to the Federal Civil Service, where he rose to the rank of Permanent Secretary.
Throughout his career, Baba-Ahmed has served in various key capacities, including as Secretary to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and as Secretary to the Kaduna State Government.
His contributions to governance earned him the national honor of Officer of the Federal Republic (OFR).
Baba-Ahmed has also been a prominent figure in Northern Nigeria as the Director of Publicity and Advocacy for the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), where he voiced opposition to policies perceived as unfavorable to the North.
His political and reform-oriented perspectives have earned him recognition as an elder statesman in the region.
