ABUJA — In a blistering “insider roast” that has sent shockwaves from the capital to the furthest reaches of Nigerian social media, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, a former Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu, has delivered a devastating verdict on the prospect of a second term for his former boss.
Speaking on Channels TV on Wednesday morning, February 18, 2026, Baba-Ahmed—once a key player in the President’s political kitchen—declared that a return of the “Lagos Lion” in 2027 would not be an improvement, but rather a “deterioration” into the worst presidency in Nigeria’s history.
The “Tired Cat” Critique
Baba-Ahmed’s critique was particularly stinging because it came from a man who helped draft the initial “Renewed Hope” blueprints. He suggested that the President has lost the “hunger” to fix the nation’s systemic rot, moving from a master strategist to a leader “sleeping on duty” now that his lifelong ambition has been satisfied.
“I haven’t seen any improvement… on the contrary, I’ve seen a deterioration,” Baba-Ahmed stated, dropping a rhetorical mic. “He will make an even worse president if he comes back in 2027. He has lost the drive. A second term would just be a ‘suffer-head’ buffet for Nigerians.”
Desperation over Strategy
The former adviser didn’t stop at the President’s performance; he took a sledgehammer to the APC’s 2027 re-election strategy. He labeled Tinubu’s reliance on old, fractured political alliances as “poor thinking” and a sign of “desperation” rather than actual governance.
- The Opposition “Avengers”: Baba-Ahmed issued a direct clarion call to Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, and the South-East to form a political “United Front.”
- The Reintegration Plea: He argued that the South-East must be fully reintegrated into the center to defeat the APC machine, effectively handing the ADC, LP, and PDP a ready-made campaign manifesto.
“Season 2 Loading”—Nigerians React with Dark Humour
As the interview clips went viral, Nigerians—dealing with fuel prices that are currently “more expensive than hope”—responded with a mix of savage memes and deep-seated frustration.
- “The Rerun Nobody Asked For”: “Baba-Ahmed just told us that the first four years was just the appetizer,” joked one popular X (formerly Twitter) influencer. “If 2027 is the main course, then Nigeria is officially on a forced fast. This isn’t a presidency; it’s a Nollywood horror sequel.”
- “Insider Trading”: Critics of the administration have hailed Baba-Ahmed as a “truth-teller” who has seen the rot from within. “When the man who helped cook the soup tells you it’s poisoned, you don’t ask for a second helping,” noted an Abuja-based political analyst.
- “Recycled Bitterness?”: APC loyalists have been quick to fire back, dismissively labeling Baba-Ahmed as a “disgruntled former aide” who is only speaking out because he is no longer “chopping” at the high table. “He was fine with the ‘menu’ when he was an adviser; now he’s a food critic?” one pro-government post queried.
The Road to 2027
Baba-Ahmed’s “Worst President” tag comes at a sensitive time for the Villa. With Rotimi Amaechi alleging a 2031 power grab by the NSA and Senator Tambuwal declaring that Tinubu’s invincibility is “rubbish,” the administration is facing a multi-front rebellion from its own former allies.
As the “Lion of Lagos” weighs his options, the message from his former adviser is clear: satisfying a personal ambition for another four years might be the final nail in the coffin for a nation already gasping for air.
