Former Special Adviser on Political Matters to President Bola Tinubu, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has declared that the people of Nigeria's North West region—not politicians—will be the ultimate decision-makers in the 2027 general elections.

Baba-Ahmed made this assertion in response to the recent endorsement of President Tinubu for a second term by North West All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders during a weekend gathering in Kaduna.

"The people who will judge all politicians against their exposure to violence, death and poverty have been forgotten. It's almost as if they think people don't matter," Baba-Ahmed stated in a post on his verified X handle.

At the political gathering in Kaduna, House of Representatives Speaker Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas moved a motion endorsing Tinubu for a second term in 2027. The motion received support from Kebbi State Governor Nasir Idris, who seconded it and passed a vote of confidence in the president's leadership.

APC National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje, who attended the event, announced that governors in the North West zone would receive automatic tickets to contest for second terms in the 2027 elections. Ganduje emphasized that President Tinubu remains committed to developing the North West region and Nigeria as a whole.

Criticizing these developments, Baba-Ahmed posted: "APC Govs in NW recently endorsed PBAT, endorsed themselves and every elected office holder and defectors from the region. They forgot the people who will judge all politicians against their exposure to violence, death and poverty. It's almost as if they think people don't matter."

Baba-Ahmed's comments come shortly after his resignation from President Tinubu's administration, signaling potential discord among Northern stakeholders within the ruling party. His statement suggests that voters in the North West will evaluate political leaders based on their performance in addressing critical issues such as insecurity, violence, and poverty affecting the region.

The North West region, comprising seven states including Kaduna, Kano, and Katsina, represents a significant voting bloc in Nigerian elections and has faced persistent security challenges in recent years.