Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, a former political adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu under the office of the Vice President, has voiced strong criticism of recent attempts to form a political coalition aimed at unseating the president in the 2027 general election.

According to Baba-Ahmed, the ongoing coalition talks are being driven by personal ambition rather than a genuine concern for Nigeria’s future, and he described the movement as “self-serving,” “disappointing,” and “lacking in national vision.”

During an appearance on Arise News Channel’s The Morning Show on Monday, Baba-Ahmed made it clear that he has no involvement in the coalition efforts and expressed serious concern about the direction the movement is taking.

He lamented what he saw as a missed opportunity to build a strong and credible opposition, accusing its promoters of prioritizing self-interest over national interest.

“Let me be fair and say that I’m not involved at all, at any level, in the coalition discussions,” Baba-Ahmed stated. “I’m just an observer who is watching with a lot of worry that an opportunity to create a strong opposition to the ruling party is being messed up by people who insist that they must be the face of that opposition.”

Baba-Ahmed criticized the political figures currently leading the coalition drive, arguing that many of them lack credibility and have already failed the Nigerian people in the past.

He pointed out that the key actors are largely individuals who have been entrenched in Nigeria’s political establishment for years—former governors, ex-ministers, past vice-presidents, and serial presidential contenders—who now want Nigerians to trust them yet again.

“These are people who have been governors, vice-presidents, ministers. Some of them have contested three times for president. Now they are telling Nigerians, ‘trust us again.’ But Nigerians can see through that. They don’t represent a different future.”

He further criticized the opaque and exclusionary nature of the coalition-building process, accusing its architects of making backroom deals and then presenting their outcomes to the public as final decisions.

“It’s the wrong approach. They meet, agree among themselves, and say, ‘We’ve decided this one will be this, and that one will be that.’ Then they invite Nigerians in. That’s not how to build a credible opposition.”

Baba-Ahmed called for a complete overhaul of the country’s political leadership, emphasizing the need for a generational shift. He urged older political actors to step aside and allow younger, more credible Nigerians to assume leadership roles and offer the country a new direction.

“What they need is a complete departure from who they are, what they’ve done, and what they still represent. They can work behind the scenes, but new faces must emerge to give Nigerians real hope.”

He went on to express his disappointment over the coalition’s failure to address the real issues facing Nigerians—such as insecurity, poverty, and poor governance—stressing that the political movement appears more focused on power acquisition than on meaningful change.

“Where is the vision? Where are the younger Nigerians who should be leading this country? Where is the concern that violence is destroying our communities?” he questioned. “Politics should be about the people, not just about getting rid of President Tinubu.”

Baba-Ahmed concluded with a warning that unless opposition leaders present a coherent, people-oriented agenda and rally behind credible leadership, their efforts may end up strengthening the position of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) rather than dislodging it.

“What they’re doing is simply handing over the country back to a president they claim they want to defeat,” he remarked.

According to Baba-Ahmed, if there is to be any real political change in 2027, it must come from a coalition built on integrity, fresh leadership, and a clearly defined vision that resonates with the Nigerian people—not one built around the ambitions of familiar political elites.