2027: Coming from North does not guarantee northern votes – Hakeem Baba-Ahmed

Hakeem Baba‑Ahmed, a former aide to President Bola Tinubu, cautioned presidential hopefuls on Thursday that a northern origin does not automatically translate into northern votes in the 2027 election.

He made the remarks on Arise Television’s Morning Show.

“Most northerners have moved away from the idea that just coming from the North is enough to get our votes,” Baba‑Ahmed said. “From the southern part of the country there are a good number that have learned their lessons from simply voting for a candidate.”

“If coming from the southern part of the country is an advantage, why does it have to be a Yoruba man being President for four years, why not pick an Edo man or somebody from the South‑East?” he added.

The former presidential aide emphasized that Nigerians will vote based on their lived experiences rather than regional identity.

“I don’t think Nigerians would vote purely on regional terms,” he said. “I think Nigerians will look at how we are being killed every day on the street, how poverty has eaten deep; they might vote for good candidates like the ones we are fielding and then we can make a change.”

“I think we are overrating this idea that coming from one part of the country qualifies you or puts you at a disadvantage of winning an election,” Baba‑Ahmed concluded.