ABUJA- The spokesman of the Northern Elders Forum, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has been appointed the special adviser on political affairs to Vice President Kashim Shettima.
His appointment might surprise many as he has been a strong critic of the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration over the years.
Dr Hakeem is the elder brother of Yusuf Datti, the Vice Presidential candidate of the Labour Party.
Baba-Ahmed’s appointment was made known on Monday, September 17, via a social media post on X, formerly Twitter.
He wrote:
“It is time to make it public that I have accepted the call to serve as Special Adviser to the VP, @KShettim.
“This is not the time for fence-sitting or criticism when you can be useful in turning the country round. I am honored and humbled. Please pray for me & Nigeria”
The appointment of Baba-Ahmed might likely raise eyebrows as he is the elder brother of Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, the Labour Party presidential running mate of Peter Obi, an arch-rival of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
It will be the second person the presidency is poaching from the camp of Yusuf Datti after the appointment of Professor Tahir Mamman as the Minister of Education.
Professor Mamman, before his appointment, was the Vice Chancellor of the famous Baze University, Abuja, which Yusuf Datti owns.
