“Democracy at Risk: Baba-Ahmed Warns of Executive-Legislature Collusion Destroying Nigeria’s Future”
Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, former Political Adviser to President Bola Tinubu, delivered a stark warning yesterday: the dangerous collusion between Nigeria’s executive and legislative branches threatens to destroy the country’s 26-year-old democracy.
Speaking on national television, Baba-Ahmed—who also served as Northern Elders Forum spokesman and ex-Secretary to INEC—said the current democratic system benefits only the political elite, not the Nigerian people.
His comments come amid growing unease, especially among opposition parties, about the cozy relationship between Senate President Godswill Akpabio and the Tinubu administration. Since taking office, Akpabio has displayed unwavering loyalty to Tinubu, fast-tracking executive requests such as loans with little scrutiny, and even leading the National Assembly’s premature endorsement of Tinubu’s second term, despite it being years before the 2027 elections.
“We have never seen a more pliant, complicit National Assembly than now. The executive dictates who leads the other branches of government—that is unacceptable,” Baba-Ahmed said. He emphasized that independence among government arms is crucial. “When the executive controls the Senate President and Speaker, and they have the executive in their pocket, democracy is finished.”
Baba-Ahmed argued this “highest collusion” signals a democracy “beyond redemption” unless the executive commits to abiding by the constitution in both letter and spirit.
He also condemned Nigeria’s leadership across administrations, from Olusegun Obasanjo’s first seven years through Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari, describing each as progressively worse. “Jonathan governed badly; Buhari barely governed at all; now Tinubu claims the presidency as ‘his turn’—there is no ‘turn’ to run this country,” he insisted.
Despite international praise for Tinubu’s government, Baba-Ahmed stressed that governance success must be measured by the citizens’ lived experiences. “If you judge by how Nigerians feel, the Tinubu administration has failed to improve governance or security, or to reduce corruption and waste,” he said.
Highlighting recent subsidy removals that have drastically increased federal and state revenues, Baba-Ahmed questioned where the money is going. “Billions are flowing into government coffers meant for security, poverty alleviation, education, health, and infrastructure—but Nigerians see little benefit.”
He called for improved transparency and accountability, urging the government to ensure these resources truly reach the people, stating, “Nigerians deserve hope and must see that their leaders are working for them, not themselves.”
