Tinubu’s political adviser, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, resigns – Newstrends
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Tinubu’s political adviser, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, resigns

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Hakeem Baba-Ahmed

Tinubu’s political adviser, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, resigns

Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, the political adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has resigned, Daily Trust reliably learnt.

Impeccable sources in the presidency confirmed yesterday that the former spokesman of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) tendered his resignation about two weeks ago.

The sources said Dr. Baba-Ahmed did not provide details of the reasons for his decision, only stating that it was on personal grounds. However, as of the time of filing this report, it was unclear whether the presidency had accepted his resignation.

Baba-Ahmed was appointed Special Adviser on Political Matters in the Office of Vice President Kashim Shettima in September 2023.

Over the past 17 months, he has represented the presidency at several public fora, including a recent national conference themed: “Strengthening Nigeria’s Democracy: Pathway to Good Governance and Political Integrity”, which held from 28th to 29th January, 2025 in Abuja.

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Clash with Matawalle over NEF

Dr. Baba-Ahmed’s role in the presidency drew criticism at certain points. A notable criticism came from the current Minister of State for Defence, Bello Mohammed Matawalle.

In April 2024, Matawalle appeared to have taken an aim at Dr. Baba-Ahmed, when he said northern appointees must not remain silent in the face of intimidation or misrepresentation of the Tinubu administration.

His remarks came after Baba-Ahmed criticised Matawalle’s dismissal of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) as a “political paperweight”. That position by the minister was in reaction to the group’s statement that the North had made a mistake voting for Tinubu in 2023.

Baba-Ahmed had argued that the Tinubu administration would have been better served if Matawalle had highlighted his own achievements as a minister—along with those of other northern appointees—rather than attacking the NEF.

“Scathing criticism of NEF by the junior minister of defence, Matawalle, is ill-advised. He could have done a better job for this administration if he identified contributions of especially northern ministers and other appointees like me to improving security and reducing poverty in the North,” Baba-Ahmed wrote.

Matawalle fired back, insisting that government appointees had a duty to defend and promote the administration they served. “Dr Baba-Ahmed’s relationship and affinity with the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) is well known,” Matawalle said, adding that: “As an appointee of this administration, it is his responsibility to work for its success, protect and defend the government against unjust and vicious attacks from those who hide under ethnic and other primordial interests to heat up the polity for myopic reasons”.

The minister stressed further that: “Every appointee of President Tinubu, including Dr. Baba-Ahmed, owes the government a duty to promote, elucidate, and advance its good works and commendable efforts across all sectors.

“As appointees from the North, we must take a stand, be unequivocal, and be counted among those working for the success of this administration. This is not the time to keep quiet in the face of intimidation and misrepresentation of the efforts and achievements of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu”, the junior minister maintained.

Tinubu’s political adviser, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, resigns

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I saved ahead, but not up to N500,000 – Husband of late pregnant woman replies critics

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Late Mrs. Folajimi and husband, Akinbobola Folajimi

I saved ahead, but not up to N500,000 – Husband of late pregnant woman replies critics

Akinbobola Folajimi, the husband of a pregnant woman who died after a hospital allegedly refused to treat her without a N500,000 deposit, has responded to criticism from Arise TV host, Reuben Abati.

Abati, during a segment on Arise News, criticised Folajimi for not preparing financially ahead of his wife’s delivery, describing him as “irresponsible” for arriving at the hospital without a prior financial commitment.

He said: “The whole substance of this conversation is that, according to Mr Folajimi, when he got to Al-Salam Convalescent Centre, he was asked to deposit N500,000, and the man was saying ‘please admit my wife, I will go and look for the money’.”

“When you impregnate a woman, you can’t come at nine months and you are saying ‘just treat her, let me go and look for the money.’ There are many people who do that. They put you under pressure. Mr Folajimi behaved in an irresponsible manner.

“You had nine months to prepare. You impregnated a woman and showed up at the hospital begging for care without a deposit. That’s irresponsible,” Abati said.

Folajimi defended himself, stating that he had saved about N100,000 but didn’t have the N500,000 the hospital demanded.

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‘’With due respect, this is not my first child. When my wife was pregnant, we were taking care of her to the best of my ability and I never came public or to you to ask for you to borrow me money for antenatal or feed my children.

“Excuse me Sir, I saved money but I didn’t save up to N500, 000. I saved money for that day but they asked for N500, 000 deposit, not full payment. I didn’t have that. All the money that I could have gathered that day wouldn’t have passed N100, 000,” he said.

He questioned the moral judgment placed on him for being unable to produce the sum on the spot, asking if it’s an offense to live below N500,000 or be poor in Nigeria.

“I don’t know if it is an offence not to have up to N500, 000 when your wife is about to give birth. I don’t know if it is an offence to now live below N500, 000 but you are now saying it is the ‘’highest irresponsibility” because I don’t have N500, 000. So it is even a crime to be poor in Nigeria,” he added.

Folajimi’s wife was allegedly denied treatment at a hospital due to the clinic’s demand for a N500,000 deposit.

He rushed her to another hospital, but unfortunately, she didn’t survive.

The incident has sparked outrage online, with many calling for the hospital to be sanctioned.

The Lagos state government has begun an investigation into the incident to bring justice to Folajimi.

The hospital has denied claims of demanding money from Folajimi, stating they never had a record of the deceased in their facility.

I saved ahead, but not up to N500,000 – Husband of late pregnant woman replies critics

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Era of Police detaining suspects for weeks gone – Falana

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Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN

Era of Police detaining suspects for weeks gone – Falana

The foremost Human Rights Lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana SAN has said that it is no longer permissible for the police to arrest or detain a suspect for weeks in their custody without contacting his or her relations to notify them about their whereabouts.

Falana who stated this while speaking during a 3-day capacity building workshop organized for prosecutors in Kano State on effective administration of criminal justice, said the era of such practice is gone.

The senior learned Silk said the police must contact the family to notify them that the suspect is in police custody so that the family won’t be looking for him, thinking that maybe he’s been kidnapped.

He also said Nigerians are entitled to demand legal representation right from the point they are in a police station before they are being interrogated.

According to him, “Our people, because of ignorance, are made to suffer daily in all police stations in Nigeria. For instance, if a Nigerian gets to the police station, a Nigerian is arrested, wherever, and you are taken to the police station, under the law, it is the duty of the police to contact the family that Mr so-so-so-and-so of this suspect is here so that the family won’t be looking for him, thinking that maybe he’s been kidnapped.

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“You could be locked up for one week or more and there’s no contact with your family. That is no longer permissible under the law. If you have no lawyer and you are going to be interrogated by the police, you have the right as a Nigerian to demand legal representation and the police must contact the legal aid council to give you a lawyer.

“So from the police station, legal representation begins. It’s allowed. So by the time you are taken to court, that same body must also provide a lawyer for you if you don’t have the means to access justice.

“The rich can take care of themselves. The rich can have lawyers. They will have lawyers and if you find a big man or a big rich woman, you say, you meet me in court.

“I will instruct my lawyers to sue you. But for the poor, they say, God will judge. But God is saying, take advantage of the provisions made by the government to ask for justice,” he said.

He pointed out the need for more public defenders and lawyers across the 44 LGAs to stand for the rights and justice of the people.

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President Tinubu greets Aliko Dangote on his birthday

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Aliko Dangote, Bola Ahmed Tinubu

President Tinubu greets Aliko Dangote on his birthday

President Bola Tinubu has congratulated Africa’s foremost industrialist and philanthropist, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, founder and President of the Dangote Group, on his birthday.

The President celebrated the life of a visionary whose resilience and unwavering commitment to Africa’s economic transformation have redefined entrepreneurship on the continent.

President Tinubu in a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, commended Alhaji Dangote for his contributions to Nigeria’s industrialisation effort, noting how his ventures from cement manufacturing to agriculture and the groundbreaking Dangote Refinery have bolstered the national ambition for self-sufficiency and created thousands of jobs.

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Beyond commerce, the President extolled Dangote’s philanthropy, mainly through the Dangote Foundation, which has uplifted millions of underprivileged Africans.

He said: “Aliko Dangote’s life embodies hard work, generosity, and faith in Nigeria’s potential. His willingness to invest in people and nation-building reflects profound business ingenuity and love for humanity.”

President Tinubu prayed that God Almighty will continue to bless Africa’s richest man with vitality, wisdom, and many more years of impact.

He encouraged younger Nigerians to draw inspiration from Dangote’s enterprise, resilience, and service.

 

President Tinubu greets Aliko Dangote on his birthday

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