Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, former Special Adviser on Political Affairs to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the Office of Vice President Kashim Shettima, has voiced strong concerns about the growing sense of marginalisation in Northern Nigeria.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Baba-Ahmed outlined the expectations the northern region has for the current administration.
According to him, the North is increasingly frustrated by the federal government’s perceived neglect of critical issues such as rampant insecurity, escalating poverty, widespread unemployment, and the growing menace of drug abuse. He emphasized that these problems have been allowed to fester for too long, leaving many in the region feeling abandoned by successive governments.
“The North is demanding solutions to its problems. We want President Tinubu to confront the issues of insecurity, poverty, joblessness, and drug addiction head-on,” Baba-Ahmed said.
He recounted his experience at a recent meeting of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), noting a striking shift in tone and urgency. “The atmosphere was unlike any I’ve experienced before—not angry or hostile, but assertive. It was clear: the North is demanding attention not as a favor, but as a right,” he said.
Baba-Ahmed, who also serves as a prominent member of the Northern Elders Forum, stated that the North has grown weary of being politically instrumentalized during election seasons. He lamented that voters in the region are often remembered only when elections draw near and are frequently placated with minimal incentives such as bags of rice, noodles, or small sums of money.
“We are tired of being reduced to just votes. Every election cycle, we are promised much and given little. Then we are forgotten until the next round of campaigns,” he remarked.
With just two years remaining in Tinubu’s administration, Baba-Ahmed stressed the need for inclusive governance and equitable development. He said the North is not asking for special treatment, but for its rightful share of national attention and resources.
“This country is in distress—every region is struggling. But the North, in particular, is suffering deeply,” he added. “We’re not saying it must be a Northerner next time; we’re saying it must be someone who understands and addresses the real needs of every part of Nigeria—North, South-East, South-South, and South-West alike.”
Baba-Ahmed’s comments underscore a growing sentiment in Northern Nigeria for more inclusive governance and stronger representation in national policy priorities. The statement is also a reminder to the Tinubu administration that lasting unity can only be achieved through fairness, attention to regional disparities, and a commitment to nationwide development.
