The National Chairman of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has claimed that former President Muhammadu Buhari was reluctant to hand over power to President Bola Tinubu in 2023 because he considered his presidency a potential setback for Nigeria.
Baba-Ahmed made the allegation while speaking at a summit organized by the Northern Elders Forum, in remarks published in a video shared on Symfoni’s YouTube channel.
According to him, Nigerians should have paid closer attention to Tinubu’s presidential ambition when he declared “Emilokan”, a Yoruba expression meaning “it is my turn”, during the build-up to the 2023 general election.
“Nigerians ought to have known there was something wrong the day Tinubu said, ‘It’s my turn’. Maybe we missed it,” he said.
Baba-Ahmed questioned the idea of a presidential ambition being presented as an individual’s turn, arguing that leadership should be driven by the interests of the country and its citizens.
He also claimed that Buhari resisted pressure from some political figures who wanted Tinubu to succeed him.
“Even Buhari saw Tinubu as bad news for this country. In fairness to him, he is not around him. Buhari resisted some people who insisted it had to be Tinubu,” Baba-Ahmed said.
The PRP chairman went on to condemn Tinubu’s administration, alleging that the country had deteriorated under the President’s leadership.
He accused the government of failing across key performance indicators and placing political ambition above the welfare of Nigerians.
“Every index of failure shows in this administration,” he said.
Despite his criticism, Baba-Ahmed expressed confidence that Nigeria would overcome its current challenges, describing the country’s people as resilient and capable of surviving difficult periods.
He also accused northern governors of failing to adequately communicate the economic hardship and dissatisfaction experienced by their constituents to the President.
Opposition Parties Target 2027 Elections
Baba-Ahmed disclosed that opposition parties were working towards forming a coalition to challenge Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
He said the proposed alliance was intended to bring political groups together, pool their resources and set aside differences to present a stronger challenge to the ruling party.
The PRP chairman urged Nigerians opposed to Tinubu’s re-election to support whichever candidate eventually emerges from the coalition.
He also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure that the 2027 general election reflects the will of voters.
Baba-Ahmed’s comments add to the growing political debate surrounding Tinubu’s administration and the opposition’s efforts to build a united front ahead of the next presidential election.
His claim about Buhari’s position on Tinubu was an allegation made by Baba-Ahmed and was not independently established in the report.
#HakeemBabaAhmed #MuhammaduBuhari #BolaTinubu #NigerianPolitics #2027Elections #PRP #NigeriaNews #OnPointGist
