Former Political Adviser to President Bola Tinubu, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has said it would be risky for the President to choose a Vice Presidential candidate from Nigeria’s Northwest region for the 2027 elections.
According to reports, there have been growing speculations that Tinubu may consider replacing his current Vice President ahead of the 2027 polls.
One name being discussed is Rabiu Kwankwaso, a former governor of Kano State and a key political figure in the Northwest.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today and Monitored By The News Chronicle on Wednesday, Baba Ahmed noted that choosing a running mate from the Northwest, particularly Kano, could create unrest among Muslim voters and lead to political instability.
“The President cannot go back to the Northwest for a running mate, especially since former President Buhari just completed eight years in office. It’s risky,” he explained.
Baba Ahmed added that while Kano might seem like a strategic option, the political gains could be minimal compared to the risks involved.
“Tinubu could pick someone from Kano, but in the 2023 elections, the difference between the APC and NNPP was only 500,000 votes. For a state as large as Kano, that’s not a huge margin. So what’s the benefit of choosing someone from there if it could result in losing broader support?”
Meanwhile, former Minister of Transportation and South-South leader of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has openly declared his opposition to Tinubu’s re-election bid.
Speaking to supporters at the Port Harcourt International Airport on Wednesday, Amaechi criticized Tinubu’s administration for worsening economic hardship, particularly the rising cost of living and electricity tariffs.
“I’m tired of this government,” Amaechi said. “If a wealthy person is paying N4 million for electricity, only God knows how the ordinary people are surviving.”
His comments signaled a clear break from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), under which he previously served. Amaechi urged residents of Rivers State to join the ADC and resist election rigging in the upcoming polls.
