NEF chief Baba-Ahmed Appointed as Shettima special adviser

Achieftain of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has joined the Presidency as a special adviser in the Office of Vice President Kashim Shettima.

His appointment, announced yesterday, tops the list of 18 aides appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to work with the Vice President.

Baba-Ahmed, a critique of the All Progressives Congress (APC) prior to the February 25 presidential election, was Chief of Staff to Dr. Bukola Saraki, president of the Eighth Senate.

Baba-Ahmed had held many public appointments.

Yesterday, Baba-Ahmed, who is publicity secretary of NEF, confirmed his acceptance of the offer in a post on his X (Twitter) handle. He twitted: “It is time to make it public that I have accepted the call to serve as Special Adviser (Political) 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

A statement yesterday in Abuja by the Director of Information in the office of the Vice President, Mr. Olusola Abiola, confirmed the appointments six Special Advisers (SAs) and 12 Senior Special Assistants (SSAs).

Those appointed are: “Rukaiya El-Rufai, Special Adviser (SAD) to the President on NEC & Climate Change; Tope Kolade Fasua, Special Adviser (SAD) to the President on Economic Matters; Aliyu Modibbo Umar, Special Adviser (SAD), General Duties; Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, Special Adviser (SAD) on Political Matters, and Jumoke Oduwole, Special Adviser (SAD) to the President on PEBEC & Investment.

“Others include Sadiq Wanka, Special Adviser (SAD) to the President on Power Infrastructure; Usman Mohammed, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Administration & Office Coordination; Kingsley Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Communications; and Ishaq Ahmed Ningi, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Digital Media & Emergency Management.

“Peju Adebajo, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Investment & Privatisation; Mohammed Bulama, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Political/Special Duties; Kingsley Uzoma, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Agricbusiness & Productivity Enhancement; Gimba Kakanda, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Research & Analytics; and Temitola Adekunle-Johnson, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Job Creation & MSMEs.

“Nasir Yammama, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Innovation; Zainab Yunusa, Senior Special Assistant to the President on NEC; Mariam Temitope, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Regional Development Programmes; and Bashir Maidugu, Deputy State House Counsel (Senior Special Assistant to the President), completes the list of appointments in the Vice President’s office,” the statement said.