With the 2027 general elections drawing closer, the political tone is shifting and the North is making it clear that it won’t be a bystander. In a widely shared video interview, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, former spokesperson for the Northern Elders Forum, made bold declarations about the region’s role in shaping Nigeria’s political future.
Seated beside Prof. Usman Yusuf, a former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme, Baba-Ahmed revealed that the North’s political direction will become public in the next six months.
Baba-Ahmed, who recently stepped down as Special Adviser on Political Matters to President Tinubu, didn’t mince words: “No politician can become President of Nigeria without the support of the North,” Baba-Ahmed declared. “The region will decide its path, and others can either follow or go their own way.”
He pointed to years of pain from insurgency, economic hardship, and misrepresentation.
According to him, northerners are tired of sweet talk with no action. He described a people now politically alert and unwilling to be manipulated.
“We want a government that understands our problems and is ready to address them,” he said.
He also delivered a sharp warning against attempts to marginalise the region, insisting there will be consequences if the North remains sidelined in national decisions.
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“If they plan to rig the election, they should be careful. It won’t be good for Nigeria,” he cautioned.
His message was firm: equity, justice, and respect must be non-negotiable if the country is to move forward.
“The North is watching. Elders, youth, and interest groups will soon say enough is enough,” he said.
Baba-Ahmed’s repeated reminder to politicians was unmissable: “The North’s stance will significantly influence the 2027 elections. It’s time politicians started taking us seriously.”
The countdown has begun. The North, once quiet, is finding its voice.