Datti Baba-Ahmed Says North Highly Displeased With Tinubu Govt

Former Labour Party vice-presidential candidate Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed said on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, that northern Nigeria was highly displeased with President Bola Tinubu’s government, citing a combination of worsening insecurity, economic hardship, and a growing sense that the administration had failed to deliver on its promises to ordinary citizens.

Speaking in a media interview, Baba-Ahmed said he was reflecting the mood of millions of northerners who had supported various candidates in the 2023 election but now felt abandoned by the federal government. He said the combination of mass abductions, bandit attacks, rising food prices, and poor electricity supply had made life unbearable for communities across the north.

‘Northern Nigeria is highly displeased with this government,’ Baba-Ahmed said, adding that the feeling was not limited to opposition supporters but extended to people who had voted for President Tinubu and his allies in 2023. He said the administration needed to urgently address the security crisis and the cost of living if it hoped to rebuild trust in the region ahead of 2027.

Baba-Ahmed Also Comments on Obi Relationship

In a separate interview, Baba-Ahmed addressed speculation about his relationship with former running mate Peter Obi, saying that nobody would cause problems between the two men and that their bond remained intact despite both having moved to different political platforms. Baba-Ahmed, who is now a member of the Peoples Redemption Party, said the shared values and the 2023 campaign experience had forged a connection that went beyond party affiliation.

Meanwhile, Babachir Lawal, the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation who resigned from the African Democratic Congress over the disputed primary that produced Atiku Abubakar as the flagbearer, said he had effectively eliminated both the APC and the ADC from his list of options. Lawal said he was now considering which platform best aligned with his political convictions ahead of 2027 but declined to name a specific party.

Furthermore, Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo declared that Nigeria did not belong to kidnappers, expressing strong solidarity with abduction victims and their families while urging security agencies to take decisive action. His remarks resonated across social media, particularly among Nigerians who felt that political leaders were not speaking forcefully enough about the scale of the security emergency. However, opposition politicians argued that strong statements without matching action had become a familiar pattern from government officials at all levels. Notably, the Channels Television headline ‘Why Northern Nigeria Is Highly Displeased With Tinubu’s Government’ became one of the most widely shared news headlines of the day. Consequently, Baba-Ahmed’s remarks are certain to feature prominently in the political conversation as 2027 campaign strategies take shape across the major parties.

June 12 Democracy Day Approaches

In addition, Nigeria is days away from the June 12 Democracy Day public holiday, which commemorates the annulled 1993 presidential election widely believed to have been won by the late MKO Abiola. Historically, June 12 has served as a moment for reflection on democratic governance, and this year the holiday arrives at a period of acute national tension over insecurity and political uncertainty. As a result, civil society groups and opposition parties have signalled plans to use the occasion to issue public statements on the state of the nation.