Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, and the leadership of the party have criticised President Bola Tinubu over the lingering leadership crisis at the Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA), urging him to withdraw from the 2027 presidential election.
The opposition figures described the controversy as evidence of what they called a breakdown in governance and questioned the administration’s ability to enforce presidential directives.
The dispute followed President Tinubu’s announcement replacing Dakorinama Alabo George with former House of Representatives member, Abdulrazak Sa’ad Namdas, as Director-General of the BCDA.
However, reports indicate that weeks after the announcement, George has continued to function as the agency’s chief executive, remaining listed on the BCDA’s official website and carrying out official duties, including attending meetings with government officials.
Reacting through his spokesman, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku described the development as an embarrassment that raises serious concerns about the federal government’s capacity to implement its own decisions.
According to the former vice president, the unresolved leadership dispute reflects growing administrative confusion and undermines Nigeria’s credibility before investors and the international community.
“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 queried.
He argued that repeated controversies surrounding the Tinubu administration, including policy reversals, institutional disputes and economic challenges, have weakened public confidence in government.
Atiku urged the Presidency to immediately clarify the legal status of the BCDA leadership and ensure that presidential directives are fully implemented.
He also advised President Tinubu to concentrate on addressing the country’s economic and governance challenges rather than preparing for another election campaign, suggesting that the President should withdraw from the 2027 presidential race.
In a separate statement, the ADC, through its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, alleged that the BCDA controversy indicated that President Tinubu had “lost control” of his administration.
The party argued that the incident, alongside the controversy surrounding the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) and what it described as a pattern of policy reversals, raised concerns over who exercises executive authority within the government.
According to the ADC, if reports surrounding the BCDA are accurate, the matter extends beyond a disputed appointment and raises constitutional questions about the authority of the Presidency.
The party said the situation suggested that official presidential appointments could allegedly be ignored without consequence, creating uncertainty over who controls executive decisions.
“It is no longer about administrative confusion. It is about who is actually in charge of the Nigerian Presidency,” the statement said.
The ADC further argued that frequent policy reversals by the administration had created uncertainty for investors, public institutions and citizens, citing previous decisions on the cybersecurity levy, expatriate employment levy and other government policies.
The opposition party called on the National Assembly to exercise its constitutional oversight powers to determine whether the President remains fully in control of the functions of his office.
It maintained that if President Tinubu was unable to assert authority over his administration, “the honourable course” would be to resign.
As of the time of filing this report, the Presidency had not issued any fresh response to Atiku’s remarks or the continuing controversy surrounding the leadership of the Border Communities Development Agency.
