Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has demanded that President Bola Tinubu drop his 2027 re-election campaign and address mounting governance failures, citing the leadership dispute at the Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA) as the latest evidence of what he described as systemic administrative collapse.
Atiku Condemns BCDA Leadership Chaos
In a statement dated July 17 and released through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku condemned the Tinubu administration's handling of the BCDA leadership dispute. He questioned how a presidential appointment could be publicly announced yet the outgoing official continued to occupy the office, conduct meetings with ministers, and remain listed on the agency's official website as its chief executive.
“How does a President publicly appoint a new head of a federal agency, yet weeks later the person said to have been replaced remains in office, continues to exercise authority, appears on the agency's official website as its chief executive, and even holds official meetings with ministers?” Atiku asked.
Legal Flaws in Appointment Process
Beyond the standoff, Atiku raised a procedural concern: the law establishing the BCDA designates its head as an Executive Secretary, not a Director-General, yet the Presidency used the latter title for both outgoing and incoming officials in its announcement. “This is not a mere typographical error. It raises legitimate questions about whether the appointment process was subjected to the most basic legal scrutiny before it was announced. Government is not conducted by guesswork,” he said.
Pattern of Institutional Disorder
Atiku situated the BCDA dispute within what he characterised as a recurring pattern of institutional disorder, citing earlier confusion over leadership at the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST), the Presidency's shifting position on the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), disputed budgetary allocations, and repeated policy reversals. “When one incident occurs, it may be dismissed as human error. When it happens repeatedly, it becomes evidence of systemic failure. From NIPOST to PFIPC and now BCDA, this administration has demonstrated an alarming inability to coordinate even routine governmental decisions,” he said.
Call for Presidential Focus on National Challenges
The former Vice President argued that a government unable to manage a routine leadership transition within its own agencies could not credibly claim the capacity to tackle insecurity, economic decline, or institutional reform. He called on the Presidency to clarify the legal status of BCDA's leadership, ensure all future appointments comply with enabling legislation, and restore discipline to government operations.
Atiku concluded with a direct appeal to President Tinubu to step back from seeking a second term. “Having presided over an administration that has lurched from one avoidable controversy to another, President Tinubu should take an honest look at the state of the nation and draw the only honourable conclusion,” Atiku said, adding that Nigeria could not afford another four years of what he called drift and confusion.
Broader Context of Governance Concerns
This demand follows Atiku's earlier condemnation of the kidnapping of students, a principal, and a NECO official in Kogi State, which he called evidence that the government had abandoned its core duty to protect lives. The statement was issued on July 15 by Phrank Shaibu on behalf of the African Democratic Congress presidential candidate.
