“The emancipation of the poor must be the act of the poor themselves”, Classical Socialist Thought In the ever shifting terrain of Nigerian politics, where power has increasingly become the preserve of entrenched elites, the re-emergence of populist currents is both inevitable and necessary. Indeed, it is both a historical and contemporary need that must come to pass. The recent election of Dr.

Hakeem Baba-Ahmed as National Chairman of the People’s Redemption Party (PRP) signals not merely a leadership change within an old political formation, but potentially the revival of a long-dormant ideological tradition that is rooted in mass politics, social justice, and the moral imperative of governance. The PRP, founded in 1978 as a successor to the populist NEPU tradition of Mallam Aminu Kano, remains Nigeria’s longest surviving political party, with a clear and unadulterated ideological orientation towards social democracy and the upliftment of the poor. Its historic identity as the “poor man’s party” or “Jam’iyar Talakawa” was not a slogan but a political doctrine, forged in opposition to oligarchic dominance and the marginalisation of the masses.

Today, under Dr. Baba-Ahmed, that doctrine appears poised for reinterpretation within the context of Nigeria’s Fourth Republic. Dr.

Baba-Ahmed himself represents an interesting bridge between establishment experience and populist critique of power. A former Federal Permanent Secretary, Senior Special Adviser to a former Senate President, spokesperson of the Northern Elders Forum, and political adviser to the Vice-President within the current ruling establishment, his trajectory reflects both insider knowledge and outsider frustration. His decision to align with the PRP and now to lead it, suggests a deliberate choice to abandon the comforts of elite consensus politics in favour of a more principled, if uncertain, populist pathway.

His message is unmistakably populist in tone and content. He has repeatedly emphasised that Nigeria’s crisis is rooted in the alienation of the people from governance, the capture of the state by a narrow elite, and the moral decay of political leadership. Upon assuming leadership of the PRP, he declared that the party remains how rich the party was in ideas, unity, and commitment to the people, but lacking the financial resources of the larger parties.

This assertion is not merely rhetorical; it is a direct challenge to the monetisation of politics that has come to define Nigeria’s electoral processes. At its core, populism properly understood, is not demagoguery, but a political method that seeks to restore sovereignty to the people. In Nigeria, however, populism has often been distorted into crude rhetoric devoid of ideological substance.

What distinguishes the PRP tradition is its grounding in a coherent philosophical framework guided by a commitment to social equity, ethical governance, and participatory democracy. Dr. Baba-Ahmed’s task, therefore, is not to re-invent populism, but to rehabilitate it and give it direction and respect.

The conditions for such rehabilitation are ripe. Across Nigeria, there is growing disillusionment with the dominant political parties. The ruling party is widely perceived as distant and unaccountable, while the principal opposition has been weakened by internal crises and a loss of ideological clarity.

Dr. Baba-Ahmed himself has argued that the once-dominant opposition today seems to be beyond repair, calling for a reimagining of opposition politics around new platforms and ideas. In this vacuum, smaller parties like the PRP have an opportunity to reposition themselves as credible alternatives.

Yet, the challenges are formidable. Populism in its authentic form requires organisation, discipline, and a deep connection with grassroots constituencies. Populism also requires the patient and often time consuming development of the consciousness of the masses.

The PRP’s historical strength lay precisely in its ability to mobilise ordinary people among peasants, workers, students, the unemployed etc, around a shared vision of justice and dignity. Recreating that mobilisation in contemporary Nigeria, with its fragmented social fabric and transactional political culture, will require more than nostalgia. Dr.

Baba-Ahmed appears aware of this. His call for Nigerians to resist vote-buying and to engage politically as citizens rather than clients speaks to a broader effort to reorient political consciousness. Similarly, his emphasis on youth participation reflects an understanding that the future of populist politics lies in harnessing the energy and aspirations of a new generation that is increasingly disenchanted with traditional power structures.

There is also a strategic dimension to Dr. Baba-Ahmed’s leadership. By positioning the PRP as a platform open to alliances with “honest Nigerians committed to changing our dangerous trajectory,” as he asserted, he signals a willingness to build coalitions beyond the part