The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called on President Bola Tinubu to resign if he can no longer exercise effective control over his administration, alleging that recent controversies surrounding federal appointments suggest the Nigerian leader's directives are being ignored. The opposition party cited the delayed appointment of Abdulrazak Namdas as director-general of the Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA) as evidence that Tinubu's authority is being undermined within his own government.
BCDA Appointment Controversy
More than three weeks after President Tinubu publicly named Abdulrazak Namdas, a former House of Representatives spokesperson, as BCDA director-general, Namdas has yet to receive a formal appointment letter. The June 26 announcement, communicated through a statement by presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, described the appointment as taking 'immediate effect' and stated that Namdas was replacing Dakorinama George, who had resigned to pursue a governorship ticket in Rivers state.
According to The Punch, allegations have emerged that the delay stems from the office of George Akume, the secretary to the government of the federation (SGF). Despite the presidential directive, George has continued to function in the role. On July 9, he held a meeting in Abuja with Taiwo Oyedele, the minister of finance and coordinating minister of the economy, to advocate for the release of budgetary allocations for infrastructure projects in Nigeria's border communities. During that meeting, he also told the minister that the agency had secured a proposed $2 billion Chinese investment for a livestock processing hub in Maigatari, Jigawa state, and was collaborating with security agencies on plans to establish a Border Communities Intelligence Corps.
Sources Allege Backing from FCT Minister
Sources inside the agency, speaking on condition of anonymity, alleged that George never formally handed over after stepping down to contest the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary and quietly resumed activities following his defeat in that election. One source also alleged that his continued presence at the agency enjoyed the backing of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister Nyesom Wike, under whom George had served as commissioner for works in Rivers state. An ally of George described that claim as 'mere insinuation,' saying Wike, as a presidential appointee himself, could not wield such influence.
Onanuga confirmed that Tinubu had not reversed course. He said: 'As far as I know, the president has not changed his mind. Namdas remains the executive secretary of the agency.' He attributed the delay in Namdas's resumption to the SGF's office, which is responsible for issuing formal appointment letters, but declined to say whether the presidency had sought an explanation for why none had been issued.
ADC's Call for Resignation
Reacting to the BCDA controversy, the ADC urged the National Assembly to immediately invoke its constitutional oversight powers to determine whether President Tinubu remains capable of effectively discharging the responsibilities of his office. The call was contained in a statement issued on Friday, July 17, by the opposition party's national spokesperson, Bolaji Abdullahi.
The party argued that the BCDA controversy was not an isolated incident but part of what it described as a disturbing pattern of confusion over presidential appointments and executive authority. It also referenced the controversy surrounding the alleged Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council, describing it as a 'phantom' body that reportedly operated at the highest levels of government despite questions over its legal existence.
According to the ADC, the recurring controversies raise serious concerns about whether the President retains effective control over one of the core constitutional powers of his office: the appointment and removal of public officials. The party said: 'If the reports concerning the Border Communities Development Agency are true, then this is no longer about one disputed appointment. It is about something far more disturbing: who is actually in charge of the Nigerian presidency? When a president announces the appointment of one person and another simply ignores that directive and carries on in office, Nigeria is no longer witnessing administrative confusion. We are witnessing a struggle for control of the Presidency itself.'
The ADC concluded: 'If President Tinubu is unable to assert control over his own Presidency, then the honourable course is to acknowledge that reality and resign. Nigeria cannot afford a Presidency where nobody knows who is truly in charge.'
Presidency Response
As of the time of this report, the presidency had not issued a fresh response to ADC's latest call for resignation. The SGF's spokesperson, Christopher Ugwuegbulam, stated that a formal written request would be required before the office could respond, while the SGF's media adviser, Yomi Odunuga, said he had no information on the matter. George did not respond to calls or messages.
