Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, former political adviser to President Bola Tinubu and one-time spokesperson for the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), has delivered a blunt assessment of the Tinubu administration, accusing it of failing to improve the quality of life for Nigerians and falling short of expectations on governance.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Paradigm programme aired Tuesday night, Baba-Ahmed said the decision to remove petrol subsidies may have been economically necessary, but its harsh impact on citizens has not been cushioned by any tangible improvement in welfare or infrastructure.
"The quality of life has worsened significantly for the average Nigerian since the removal of fuel subsidy," he said. "That policy has increased hardship, and the government has not taken adequate steps to redirect the savings into meaningful development."
He noted that despite the savings from subsidy removal, there is a disturbing lack of transparency and accountability in how funds are managed, particularly at the state and local government levels.
“So much waste, so much abuse of resources and corruption going on,” Baba-Ahmed stated, calling on President Tinubu to act decisively to ensure that resources are deployed in the interest of the people.
According to him, Tinubu must leverage his influence, especially within his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), to hold state governors accountable and ensure that federal allocations are used to reduce poverty, build infrastructure, and provide essential services.
He also warned that Tinubu's failure to significantly shift the trajectory of governance away from previous patterns of failure was a grave concern.
“Every president since 1999 has performed worse than their predecessor,” he argued. “Obasanjo started strong but became distracted by his third term ambition. Yar’Adua showed promise but passed away too soon. Jonathan ran the country aground. Buhari didn’t govern at all. Tinubu started off on the wrong foot and, two years in, has failed to show he can bring meaningful change.”
Baba-Ahmed dismissed government claims of progress based on international economic ratings and reports, saying those metrics mean little if they don't translate to better living conditions for the people.
“They will quote the World Bank or IMF, but those figures don’t reflect the reality Nigerians face. You measure governance by how people live, and by that standard, this administration has failed,” he declared.
He also reflected on the deeper structural challenges confronting Nigeria’s democracy, saying the country continues to suffer under the weight of self-serving leadership.
“Nigeria's democracy is flawed because the leaders we elect put personal gain above national interest,” Baba-Ahmed said. “If leaders are driven by selfish motives, it doesn’t matter how much power or resources they have — they will mismanage them.”
The outspoken elder statesman concluded by urging a return to responsible, people-oriented leadership, warning that unless Nigeria experiences a fundamental shift in the values and performance of its leaders, the country’s future will remain uncertain.
His remarks add to the growing chorus of criticism aimed at the Tinubu government, particularly over economic hardship, insecurity, and a perceived lack of decisive governance.
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