Tinubu failed Nigerians on economy, security – Baba-Ahmed

The National Chairman of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of worsening economic hardship and insecurity, saying Nigerians have yet to feel the benefits of its policies.

Mr Baba-Ahmed said millions of children were unable to attend school because of insecurity, while dangerous roads and the rising cost of living continued to affect Nigerians.

He spoke on Tuesday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he criticised the government’s performance after three and a half years in office.

“Children who live in territories taken by bandits and kidnappers can’t go to school at all,” he said.

The PRP chairman also questioned the government’s economic performance, arguing that official statistics did not reflect the difficulties Nigerians faced in their daily lives.

“Children aren’t going to school; life is more insecure; life is harder. He flashed all the statistics. How can we build an economy?” he asked.

Mr Baba-Ahmed also faulted the pace of road construction, citing the Abuja-Kaduna highway as an example of a road where motorists still face security risks.

He argued that the government should have delivered more infrastructure projects with the revenue generated from oil.

Tinubu has nothing to tell Nigerians

Mr Baba-Ahmed, who was special adviser on political matters in the Office of Vice President Kashim Shettima, also criticised Mr Tinubu’s reported decision to limit his participation in campaign rallies ahead of the 2027 general election, arguing that the president should personally explain his administration’s record to voters.

He said the president appeared to be relying on other political figures to campaign for his re-election rather than directly addressing Nigerians about his policies and their effects.

“He had nothing to say to them; he had nothing to say to Nigerians, which is why he says, ‘Okay, gentlemen, go and campaign for me. I will stay in Abuja and run the country,’” he said.

“You run the country now? Three and a half years, you didn’t run this country. Now you remember that you have to run a country?”

The PRP chairman further questioned the administration’s record on governance, arguing that the government had not adequately addressed the problems confronting the country.

He also stressed the importance of a national census, describing it as a key tool for planning and understanding the country’s demographic strengths and weaknesses.

2027 election

Mr Baba-Ahmed expressed confidence that Mr Tinubu would struggle to win the 2027 presidential election, arguing that the outcome would depend on the credibility of the electoral process.

He warned that a compromised election could threaten Nigeria’s unity, particularly if voters believed their choices had been disregarded.

He said the government and electoral authorities must ensure that citizens in areas affected by banditry and kidnapping could participate in the election.

According to him, insecurity could prevent millions of Nigerians from voting, especially in parts of northern Nigeria where armed groups have restricted movement and disrupted daily life.

He also warned that wealthy political interests could use their financial resources to mobilise large numbers of voters, raising concerns about the influence of money on the electoral process.

Mr Baba-Ahmed acknowledged that allegations of electoral malpractice were not peculiar to Nigeria, but argued that the authorities must take steps to prevent manipulation and limit its impact on election outcomes.

He described the announcement of results as a critical stage of the electoral process, insisting that only officials authorised by law could declare a winner.

INEC communication

The PRP chairman also criticised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over what he described as inadequate communication with Nigerians.

Responding to the commission chairman’s position on the declaration of election results, Mr Baba-Ahmed said the law clearly identifies the officials authorised to announce winners.

He agreed that no individual could independently declare a candidate the winner of an election without the legal authority to do so.

However, he said INEC needed to communicate more effectively with the public and explain its role in announcing election results to prevent confusion.

Mr Baba-Ahmed, who once served as INEC secretary, also expressed concern about the possibility of political actors attempting to manipulate the outcome of the 2027 election.

“I’m worried because if they lose, I hope they don’t try to make or turn falsehood into truth. That’s what I’m worried about,” he said.