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Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, the Special Adviser on Political Matters in the Office of the Vice President, has resigned from his position, sources within the presidency confirmed on Thursday.
Appointed in September 2023 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Baba-Ahmed served for approximately 17 months under Vice President Kashim Shettima, representing the presidency at several high-profile public engagements. His resignation reportedly took place about two weeks ago and, according to insiders, was tendered on personal grounds. However, it remains unclear whether the presidency has officially accepted the resignation.
Baba-Ahmed, a former spokesman of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), was a prominent figure within the administration and often represented the presidency in policy discussions and national dialogues. One of his most recent appearances was at the national conference themed “Strengthening Nigeria’s Democracy: Pathway to Good Governance and Political Integrity,” held in Abuja from January 28 to 29, 2025.
Despite his contributions, Baba-Ahmed’s tenure was not without controversy. A notable flashpoint occurred in April 2024, when tensions arose between him and the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Mohammed Matawalle. The conflict stemmed from the NEF’s criticism of the North’s political alignment with President Tinubu, prompting Matawalle to call on northern appointees to defend the administration against what he described as biased attacks.
Baba-Ahmed, in response, urged the minister to focus on the actual performance of northern appointees in tackling key issues like insecurity and poverty. He also criticized Matawalle’s dismissal of NEF as a “political paperweight,” describing the minister’s remarks as “ill-advised” and counterproductive.
In a pointed rebuttal, Matawalle reminded Baba-Ahmed of his duties as a presidential appointee, stating, “Appointees must work for the administration’s success and counter unjust attacks that are motivated by ethnic or parochial interests.”
The development marks another notable shift within the Tinubu administration’s advisory ranks. As of press time, no official statement had been issued by the presidency or Baba-Ahmed regarding the resignation.
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