Ahead of the 2027 general election, former Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Political Matters, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has urged Atiku Abubakar to drop his presidential ambition.
It is believed that Atiku is still eyeing the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), presidential ticket after three attempts.
However, while featuring on Channels Television's Politics Today on Thursday night, Baba-Ahmed said a younger presidential candidate will take the All Progressives Congress, APC, to the "cleaners."
He said: "If I would have the chance to sit with Atiku, I would say to him: Sir, you have done your bit, you have held up the democratic process, you represented it well, your name has been written in gold, it's time to yield the ground to a younger person; don't run in 2027, play a fatherly role.
"Find a good and young person. If he were to field a younger person that is more capable with less skeletons in their cupboard, somebody with less liabilities, in age, health, and everything; they will take APC to the cleaners.
"APC is growing with the wrong people, all these defections are aimed at one thing, they are looking for positions or running away from EFCC.
"The people running into the APC from all over the place are actually a liability, it's simply a refugee camp that will burst.”
He also dismissed rumoured rifts between President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima.
There are rumours about Tinubu not just sidelining Shettima, but that Tinubu may drop him ahead of the 2027 general elections.
But Baba-Ahmed said, "I didn't see that. I find it odd. Between the two of them I think those rumours are cooked to be honest.
"I never really interacted with the President. I never sat down with Tinubu to ask him how he felt about Shettima.
"But I spoke with Shettima. I can tell you only from Shettima's perspective. I don't think Shettima feels he's been sidelined.
"I don't think he feels Tinubu has any grievance against him. I saw a President and a Vice president who work well. The synergy was there."