A former spokesperson for the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has criticised the ongoing coalition efforts among opposition parties aimed at unseating the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general election.
Naijaonpoint reports that the coalition, reportedly spearheaded by former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and ex-Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai, is pushing to register a new political platform, the All Democratic Alliance (ADA), with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Speaking on The Morning Show, a programme aired by Arise Television, Baba-Ahmed cautioned that the coalition is being undermined by the same old political players, who, according to him, are more focused on returning to power than delivering real change.
“There are divisions among coalition members. None of these people should lead or be seen in a position that they are determining who should be in that coalition,” he said.
Baba-Ahmed, who recently served as special adviser on political matters to Vice-President Kashim Shettima, lamented that the drive to build a viable opposition is already being compromised by personal ambition and lack of generational shift.
He accused leaders of the coalition of merely seeking to replace the Tinubu government without any clear ideological difference or fresh approach.
“They don’t have faith that you actually represent a different future from this government; you just want to replace the government of President Tinubu,” he stated.
He argued that unless the coalition leaders step back and allow younger, visionary Nigerians to take charge, the initiative would mirror the same political recycling that has failed to inspire Nigerians.
The political analyst stressed the need for the coalition to present new ideas, fresh faces, and credible alternatives that reflect a break from the country’s past political disappointments.