Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, former spokesperson of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), has declared that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is “gone and beyond repair,” arguing that Nigeria’s opposition space must now be reimagined beyond the once-dominant party.
He said the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and other emerging parties could provide a credible alternative to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) if they present fresh ideas and clear policy choices to Nigerians.
Baba-Ahmed made the remarks on Thursday during a programme on Arise News, against the backdrop of prolonged internal crises within the PDP since the 2023 general elections. The opposition party has struggled with leadership disputes, defections and waning influence, losing several high-profile members, including serving governors, to the APC.
According to Baba-Ahmed, the PDP’s decline has reached a point where revival is unlikely.
“The PDP is drifting away. I think it is gone, and I do not believe anyone can fix it,” he said.
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He added that while the PDP once played a central role in Nigeria’s democratic evolution, it should no longer be seen as the only viable platform capable of challenging the ruling party.
He pointed instead to the ADC and other smaller parties as potential alternatives, stressing that opposition politics in Nigeria must move beyond personalities and entrenched political habits.
“The PDP is not the only party capable of providing a credible opposition to the APC; there is the ADC and others,” he said.
However, Baba-Ahmed cautioned that the ADC’s success would depend on its ability to present itself as a genuinely new force in Nigerian politics. He warned that merely branding the party as an opposition platform or positioning it as an anti-APC vehicle would not be enough to win public trust.
“Nigerians want clear policy choices and well-defined governance priorities,” he said. “Ask them today what they will do, beyond simply opposing and hoping they can unseat President Tinubu; they won’t tell you.”
The former special adviser on political matters to Vice-President Kashim Shettima said Nigerians are increasingly demanding substance over slogans. He argued that any party aspiring to power in 2027 must clearly articulate its plans for governance and national development.
“Somebody in this party should be saying to Nigerians, if you trust us in 2027, these are the things we will do,” he said.
Baba-Ahmed also urged the ADC to embark on wide-ranging recruitment of credible politicians, including defectors from other parties, to build a broad-based opposition coalition. Such a coalition, he said, should be united by ideas and a shared vision for Nigeria’s future rather than narrow political ambition.
At the same time, he warned against repackaging familiar political figures as symbols of change, saying voters are increasingly tired of recycled leadership.
“We don’t want to see the same old politicians coming forward and saying, ‘If you give me power, I’ll be different,’” he said.
Highlighting the country’s youthful population, Baba-Ahmed noted that young Nigerians would make up a significant portion of future voters.
“Sixty per cent of Nigerians will be voting now. They are young people. They want new people. They want new faces. They want new energies,” he said.
He concluded by warning that Nigeria must urgently address its political and governance challenges, stressing that the collapse of democracy would be disastrous not only for democratic institutions but for Nigerians as a whole.
