The former Special Adviser on Political Matters in the Office of Vice President Kashim Shettima, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has said that Nigeria’s economy has deteriorated further under President Bola Tinubu’s administration compared to the tenure of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
In an interview, Baba-Ahmed reflected on his resignation from the administration after serving for 17 months, the current economic challenges, and the political landscape ahead of 2027.
He also explained his reasons for writing an open letter urging President Tinubu not to seek re-election.
“It is worse than Buhari left it,” Baba-Ahmed stated, commenting on the state of the economy.
His remarks come amid growing economic concerns following Tinubu’s policy decisions since assuming office on May 29, 2023. These include the removal of fuel subsidies and the unification of foreign exchange rates. While these reforms were initially hailed as bold, they have contributed to a steep rise in inflation—from 22.41% in May 2023 to 34.6% by November 2024, according to figures from the National Bureau of Statistics.
Baba-Ahmed questioned the credibility of recent economic growth statistics released by government sources and international bodies. “This is the thing with the statistics that the administration keeps reeling out. And you really wonder where they get the statistics from. You go to villages, go to Katsina, go to Zamfara, go to Niger State, go to Plateau, go to Benue… virtually, in fact literally, go to every part of Nigeria,” he said.
“More blood is shed now than it was maybe two years ago. And yet you see this kind of statistics that say there are fewer killings, there is less violence. You have to ask, do our leaders know how our people live? Who is telling them all this? How do these statistics get acquired?”
He further questioned whether the president is truly aware of the worsening poverty and insecurity affecting ordinary Nigerians, adding: “Does he know the level of poverty? Does he know how many families, entire families, live in that village?”
Reflecting on his early optimism for Tinubu’s presidency, Baba-Ahmed pointed to the president’s political resilience and track record in Lagos. “I saw a president who was stubborn, almost visionary, but he ran Lagos for eight years. Whether he ran it well or not, I do not know. But he ran Lagos well. He resisted former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s overbearing and strong determination to get rid of him,” he said.
He acknowledged Tinubu’s instrumental role in forming the coalition that brought Buhari to power. “To be honest with you, I think that coalition, CPC-APC-AC, was decisive in terms of giving President Buhari victory. And as I said, I was part of the campaign. I had a front-line seat; so, I know what I am talking about. And Tinubu’s contribution to Buhari’s emergence was genuinely a deciding factor,” he noted.
However, Baba-Ahmed expressed concern that the visionary drive he once saw in Tinubu appears to have diminished. “I do not know what has happened since 2015, but I do not see the fire. I do not see that calculation. I did not see much of him, to be fair to him,” he concluded.
