Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, a former Special Adviser on Political Matters to President Bola Tinubu, has said that the northern region will, within the next six months, decide who to support for the 2027 presidential election.

Speaking in a video interview in Hausa language, alongside former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme, Professor Usman Yusuf, Baba-Ahmed emphasised that no politician can secure the presidency without northern backing.

“In the next six months, the North will determine its position. If others want to align with us, fine. If not, we will chart our own course. But one thing is certain—nobody can become president of Nigeria without the support of the North,” he said.

He lamented the current state of the country and urged Northerners to reject politicians who seek to divide and deceive them ahead of the next general elections.

“After eight years of Buhari, we thought we had learned. But here we are again—still crying. Is crying all we know how to do?” he asked.

Baba-Ahmed recalled the devastation of the Boko Haram insurgency, which he said affected Northerners across ethnic and religious lines, from Muslims and Christians to Fulani and Baju communities.

“Before Buhari’s presidency, Boko Haram was bombing mosques, churches, Abuja, Lagos—everywhere. That was when the North had to unite. Today, no politician can just show up and expect blind loyalty. Who are you?” he said.

He warned against further marginalisation of the North, insisting that any attempt to rig the next election would be resisted.

“If anyone is planning to rig the election, they should think twice. The consequences won’t be good for Nigeria. The North is watching—its elders, its youth, its interest groups. At some point, we’ll say ‘enough is enough’. This injustice must end.”

Baba-Ahmed urged Northerners to move beyond religious or ethnic sentiment in their political choices, stressing that competence and integrity should guide voter decisions.

“We are done being deceived into voting along religious or ethnic lines. That era is over. All we want is a capable leader who can genuinely solve our problems,” he said.