Politics
Tinubu’s Govt Has Failed to Improve Lives of Nigerians — Baba-Ahmed
Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, a former political adviser to President Bola Tinubu and ex-spokesperson of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), has delivered a scathing critique of the current administration, accusing it of failing to improve the quality of life for Nigerians and to deliver on good governance.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Paradigm programme on Tuesday night, Baba-Ahmed said the removal of fuel subsidy—one of Tinubu’s flagship policy decisions—has had a devastating impact on ordinary citizens, worsening poverty and economic hardship.
While acknowledging that reversing the subsidy removal may not be realistic, he urged the president to confront rampant waste and corruption, especially at the state and local government levels, where funds saved from the subsidy removal are being misused.
“There’s so much waste, so much abuse of resources and corruption going on,” he lamented. “The president must use his influence and authority to ensure that the resources being allocated—especially to governors, many of whom are members of his party—are used effectively to improve the lives of Nigerians.”
Baba-Ahmed called for greater accountability across all three tiers of government and emphasized the urgent need to tackle insecurity, reduce poverty, and invest significantly in infrastructure and social services.
He expressed deep disappointment in the trajectory of governance since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999, arguing that each successive administration has been worse than the last.
“Since 1999, every leadership that has taken over has been worse than the previous one,” he said. “President Obasanjo did relatively well in his first seven years but lost credibility in his final year when he attempted to seek a third term. Yar’Adua brought fresh hope, but sadly, he died in office.”
Baba-Ahmed was particularly scathing in his assessment of the last three presidents.
“President Goodluck Jonathan ran the country aground. We opposed him because we believed Nigeria deserved better. But we ended up putting in someone who didn’t govern at all—President Buhari,” he said.
Turning to the current administration, he said: “Now we have a president who said it was his turn to lead, and even if you overlook that unfortunate remark, you must judge his government by its record. Two years into the Tinubu administration, Nigerians are worse off.”
He dismissed international praise and favourable economic reports, insisting that the true measure of any government lies in the daily realities of its people.
“They will talk about World Bank reports and international ratings, but those are not the true measures of success. You measure a government by how citizens live—and by that standard, Tinubu’s government has failed to meet expectations.”
Baba-Ahmed warned that Nigeria’s democratic experiment is being derailed by selfish leadership and a persistent disconnect between elected officials and the people.
“Nigeria’s leadership crisis is rooted in the character of those who seek power—leaders who govern in their own interest rather than for the people. Even if you put such leaders in the best country, they will destroy it,” he said.
His comments come amid growing public discontent over the rising cost of living, a weak naira, persistent insecurity, and what many describe as a slow pace of reform under President Tinubu’s leadership.
