Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, Special Adviser on Political Matters in the office of Vice President Kashim Shettima, has resigned from his position, citing personal reasons.

Dr Baba-Ahmed’s resignation comes after a public confrontation with Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, over the Northern Elders Forum (NEF).

The controversy began when Matawalle described the NEF as a “political paperweight” after the group stated that the north made a mistake voting for President Bola Tinubu in 2023.

Baba-Ahmed, who served as the former spokesperson of the NEF, responded by saying that Matawalle’s criticism was ill-advised and that he should have highlighted his achievements as minister instead of attacking the NEF.

Matawalle countered by stating that presidential appointees have a duty to defend and promote the administration they work for.

He emphasized that northern appointees must defend the government or take their exit.

Baba-Ahmed’s resignation has sparked speculation about the reasons behind his decision. However, sources close to the presidency confirm that his resignation was submitted about two weeks ago.