Senator Datti Baba-Ahmed, the Labour Party’s 2023 vice-presidential candidate and founder of Baze University, has described President Bola Tinubu as the most powerful political figure Nigeria has ever produced.

Baba-Ahmed made the claim while speaking on Mic On Podcast with Seun Okinbaloye, where he alleged that Tinubu played a decisive role in bringing former President Muhammadu Buhari out of retirement, supporting his emergence as president for eight years and subsequently positioning himself to take over the presidency.

According to him, the concentration of political power under Tinubu has weakened opposition parties and created what he described as a government dominated by politicians and the privileged.

“It has been a government of the politicians, for the privileged, by the powerful,” Baba-Ahmed said.

He added that Tinubu’s political influence was demonstrated by his alleged ability to support Buhari’s return to active politics after retirement and later succeed him as president.

“The powerful I’m speaking about are people like Tinubu, who can install Buhari from retirement, make him rule for eight years, and make him hand over to himself. Now do you understand how powerful Tinubu is?” he said.

Baba-Ahmed further warned that the level of political influence wielded by the President could have serious implications for Nigeria’s democracy, alleging that the machinery of government had been deployed against opposition political parties.

He claimed that several opposition platforms had been weakened or destroyed within three years, saying the development had created a political environment in which the ruling establishment holds overwhelming influence.

“Now do you understand how powerful Tinubu is? That powerful, from outside government, to bring a retired Buhari from retirement and take over from him,” he added.

The comments come amid ongoing debates over the strength of opposition parties, political realignments and the concentration of political power ahead of Nigeria’s next electoral cycle.