Sep 6, 2026

Datti Baba-Ahmed Declares Tinubu Holds Absolute Power; Only God Can Stop Him

By Afolabi Olaiya Idowu in politics

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Abuja, Nigeria – September 6, 2026—In a candid and wide-ranging interview, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, the 2023 Labour Party vice-presidential candidate, has described President Bola Tinubu as possessing near-absolute power in Nigeria, declaring that whatever the president decides will happen unless stopped by God Almighty.

Speaking on the Mic On Podcast hosted by Seun Okinbaloye, Baba-Ahmed stated: “Right now, the power in Nigeria belongs to one individual.

That individual, if he says something, it would happen. Only God Almighty can stop it, and this is reality. That’s how powerful our current Nigerian president is. If Peter Obi were president, it wouldn’t have been the same.”

The former senator argued that this concentration of authority runs counter to democratic principles in which sovereignty should rest with the people through elected institutions.

He maintained that under an Obi presidency, power would not have been exercised in the same manner.

Stronger Critique of the Current Administration

Baba-Ahmed went further, describing the Tinubu government as more oppressive than the military regimes of Ibrahim Babangida, Sani Abacha and Abdulsalami Abubakar.

He accused the administration of deploying “brute civil force” and systematically weakening political parties and institutions over the past three years.

“The person ruling Nigeria today is doing what even military rulers did not do,” he said, claiming past military leaders showed more discipline, respect for the constitution and personal restraint than the current civilian leadership.

Advice on 2027 and Rejection of Current Challengers

Looking ahead to the 2027 presidential election, Baba-Ahmed urged Tinubu to prepare to hand over power at the end of his tenure. However, he was equally critical of the major opposition figures positioning themselves as alternatives.

“I will simply advise ‘Uncle’ to please prepare to hand over and move away, but not to the people contesting against him, because none of them will improve Nigeria,” he said. When pressed, he confirmed that this assessment included his former running mate, Peter Obi, noting that Obi and others had at various times been part of ruling parties.

Baba-Ahmed positioned himself differently, stressing that he has never belonged to a ruling party and is advocating for what he called a “new Nigeria.”

Context and Reactions

The remarks come amid intensifying political manoeuvring ahead of 2027. Baba-Ahmed also claimed that he and others nearly prevented Tinubu’s inauguration in 2023 through constitutional means, though that effort ultimately failed.

His comments have already sparked discussion across social media and political circles, with some viewing them as a sharp break from his 2023 alliance with Obi and others seeing them as a consistent critique of concentrated power and recycled political elites.

As Nigeria moves deeper into the pre-election season, Baba-Ahmed’s intervention adds another layer to the debate over leadership, institutional strength, and the quality of alternatives available to voters.