As Nigeria looks ahead to the 2027 general elections, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, a former political adviser to the Vice President and spokesperson of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), has issued a stern warning: if the elections lack transparency, the country may face grave consequences.
In a statement shared via his verified X (formerly Twitter) account on Monday, Baba-Ahmed expressed growing concern over public skepticism surrounding the upcoming elections.
He urged both political leaders and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to take these concerns seriously.
“Voices are being raised regarding integrity of the 2027 elections. Our leaders and INEC should listen. Anything short of the most transparent elections will produce neither winners nor losers. Rigging will risk plunging this country into its worst crises. No one wants that,” he wrote.
Baba-Ahmed’s comments arrive at a time when the National Assembly is debating a proposal to streamline the electoral process.
The House of Representatives is considering an amendment to the Electoral Act that would allow the presidential, National Assembly, governorship, and State Assembly elections to be conducted on the same day.
Meanwhile, the political space has also been abuzz following a recent meeting between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, former Kano State governor and 2023 presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
The encounter has sparked speculation across party lines.
Responding to the stir, Senior Special Adviser to the President on Print Media, Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, played down any controversy surrounding the meeting.
“Politicians talk; it’s not a sin talking across lines,” he said during an appearance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Monday.
He emphasized that political engagement between leaders, even across party lines, is a normal and strategic part of democracy.
“So, the presidency or friends of the president talking to Kwankwaso or the other way round should not be seen as anything strange or looked at with disdain or suspicion. After all, it’s politics and people align, re-align and shape their political positions.”
According to Abdulaziz, both Tinubu and Kwankwaso share a history that spans over three decades, dating back to their days as senators and state governors.
He said that long-standing relationship should contextualize their recent interaction and dispel any public anxiety.
