Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, the former Special Adviser on Political Matters to Vice-President Kashim Shettima, has delivered a scathing assessment of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, accusing the presidency of being profoundly disconnected from the daily struggles of Nigerians.
Speaking on The Morning Show, Baba-Ahmed, who now serves as the National Chairman of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), expressed deep concern over the government’s apparent lack of empathy and awareness regarding the nation’s escalating economic and security crises.
The critique was sparked by President Tinubu’s recent dismissal of his administration’s critics. Last week, the President suggested that those who fail to recognize the “hope” and progress generated by his policies are either biased or in need of “Jigi-Bola”—a reference to his signature eyeglasses. Tinubu remarked that his government would provide lenses to those “who do not want to see the hope” in his reforms.
Baba-Ahmed described these comments as insensitive, arguing that they raise serious red flags about the government’s grasp of the prevailing hardship. “There is no way you can live in this country, see the level of poverty and unaccountability, and still expect Nigerians to applaud your performance,” he stated. He emphasized that while the administration touts its reforms on paper, these policies have failed to translate into better living conditions for the average citizen. Instead, he argued, Nigerians have become “more insecure, more hungry, and more desperate.”
Beyond economic failures, Baba-Ahmed highlighted a lack of transparency, noting that the administration is not properly accounting for the funds it receives. This perceived lack of accountability, combined with the dismissal of public suffering, has created a widening gulf between government perception and public sentiment.
Concluding his remarks, Baba-Ahmed expressed confidence that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is vulnerable. He asserted that if a free and fair election were held today, the current administration could be defeated, as Nigerians are no longer willing to accept “reforms” that offer no relief from the biting reality of poverty and insecurity.
