Dr Hakeem Baba Ahmed, politician and public commentator, has urged the African Democratic Congress ADC to present a fresh political alternative to Nigerians, warning that recycling familiar faces and ideas would undermine its credibility ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking on ARISE News on Thursday, Baba Ahmed said the ADC must clearly distinguish itself from existing political parties and articulate a vision that resonates with Nigerians, particularly young voters.
“ADC should represent a new face in Nigerian politics,” he said. “There must be something they can say to Nigerians that will be different from what everybody has said.”
He stressed that simply positioning as an opposition party was insufficient, arguing that Nigerians expected clarity on policy direction and governance priorities.
“Ask them today what they will do, beyond just simply opposing and hoping that they can unseat President Tinubu. They won’t tell you,” Baba Ahmed said. “I know somebody in this party should be saying to Nigerians, if you trust us in 2027, these are the things we will do.”
Baba Ahmed also emphasised the need for the ADC to expand beyond a small circle of political elites and build broad based support across the country.
“They must embark on massive recruitment of credible politicians, including colleagues that will come from other parties, rallying around the opposition, and designing a future for this country,” he said.
He warned against presenting familiar political figures as agents of change, noting growing voter fatigue with recycled leadership.
“We don’t want to see the same old politicians coming forward,” he said. “If you give me power, I’ll be different.”
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According to Baba Ahmed, Nigeria’s demographic reality made political renewal unavoidable, with young voters expected to dominate future elections.
“60 percent of Nigerians now will be voting. They are young people. They want new people. They want new faces. They want new energies,” he said.
Beyond the ADC, Baba Ahmed criticised the opposition Peoples Democratic Party PDP, blaming it for its internal decline and loss of relevance.
“To be honest, I’m sorry to say this because I think this is the loss of national legacy. I think PDP is gone. I can’t see how anybody can fix PDP,” he said.
He argued that Nigeria’s democracy required a credible opposition capable of offering an alternative future, warning that failure to do so could have serious consequences.
“Nigeria must be fixed,” Baba Ahmed said. “The failure of this country’s democracy will be a major disaster, not just for democracy, but actually for Nigeria and Nigerians.”
