Hakeem Baba-Ahmed criticises Tinubu’s silence on rumours of replacing Shettima in the Tinubu Shettima 2027 ticket, urging clear affirmation from the President

A former political adviser to President Bola Tinubu, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has raised concerns about the President’s silence over growing speculation on the Tinubu Shettima 2027 ticket.

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The rumours suggest Tinubu may replace Vice President Kashim Shettima before the next general election.

Though presidential aide Bayo Onanuga dismissed the claims as a “non-issue” in June, Baba-Ahmed believes a stronger response is required.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, he questioned why the President has not publicly affirmed confidence in his deputy.

“I would be very curious to find out what it is that makes all these stories about dropping him,” Baba-Ahmed said. “The President should have done something a long time ago.”

He suggested that Tinubu could easily dispel the rumour mill by making a direct, public statement of support for Shettima.

“If all these stories have no truth, it would have taken just one thing: the President directly and personally saying, ‘Stop this nonsense. I have confidence in my Vice President…’ But he didn’t say that.”

Baba-Ahmed said the continued silence from the presidency is troubling, especially given the implications for political stability and perception in the North.

Although the next election is two years away, talk of altering the Tinubu Shettima 2027 ticket has gained traction in political circles, with suggestions of a possible northern Christian replacement.

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The former adviser urged Tinubu to address the issue directly, saying, “It should come from him – it should be direct and it must be emphatic.”