Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, a former aide to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in an interview on ARISE TV last night, stated that his time in the administration fell short of expectations.
Baba-Ahmed, who served in the Office of the Vice President, disclosed that he joined the government with high hopes but found the experience disappointing.
When asked whether Vice President Kashim Shettima is being systematically sidelined by President Tinubu, Baba-Ahmed dismissed the idea, stating, “No, I didn’t see any of these…” He explained that the perceived marginalisation of vice presidents is not new and has occurred in past administrations as well. “If the president feels that the office of the vice president is not that important in the administration and we have seen that many times, basically, that was what I met,” he said.
Baba-Ahmed pointed out the recurring lack of defined roles for vice presidents, despite their official rank, adding that despite seeing and speaking with Vice President Shettima almost daily, the role demands more than conversations.
Reflecting on his interactions within the presidency, he said, “I only saw President Tinubu three times in the mosque in the presidential villa. But I had never had a chance to sit down and talk with President Tinubu. I think part of the problem is that Tinubu never had time for people like us. I don’t think he had time for a lot of people working for him,” he added.
Describing President Tinubu as “really and genuinely isolated,” Baba-Ahmed stressed that such isolation, whether by design or circumstance, poses a significant problem for the country. “The bottom line is, he ought to be available for the people he trusted and worked for him. And that’s the problem for the country, not for him,” he said. He expressed concerns about the kind of advice reaching the president, observing, “If you hear people who are close to him speak about Nigeria, you will hear as if they’re living in different worlds. That is the most frustrating thing for me.”
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