Presidential candidate of African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, don yarn say the leadership crisis wey dey rock Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA) na proof say government dey adrift. E say President Bola Tinubu suppose abandon im 2027 re-election ambition and instead focus on correctly steering the ship of state.
For statement by im Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu on Thursday, Atiku say the international embarrassment wey Nigeria don suffer because of administration’s serial governance blunders don become unbearable. E warn say the country dey increasingly dey portrayed as state where official pronouncements no longer command official obedience.
Atiku insist say time don come for Tinubu to place national interest above personal political ambition. E say, ‘Having presided over an administration wey don lurch from one avoidable controversy to another, from policy reversals to institutional confusion, from worsening economic hardship to repeated governance failures, President Tinubu suppose take honest look at state of nation and draw the only honourable conclusion.’
‘Rather than diverting public attention to early re-election campaign, e suppose devote whatever remains of im tenure to addressing pressing challenges confronting nation or, better still, acknowledge say e don fall short of expectations of Nigerians and gracefully withdraw from 2027 presidential contest.’
‘History remembers leaders not for how desperately dem seek to retain power, but for wisdom dem display in knowing when dem don lose confidence and goodwill of people. For sake of Nigeria’s future, President Tinubu suppose put country first, abandon any re-election bid, and allow Nigerians opportunity to choose leadership capable of restoring competence, accountability, constitutional fidelity and hope to our beloved nation.’
Atiku specifically query the contradictions surrounding BCDA leadership tussle. E ask, ‘How does a President publicly appoint new head of federal agency, yet weeks later the person wey dem say dem replace remains for office, continues to exercise authority, appears on agency’s official website as im chief executive, and even holds official meetings with ministers? Wetin exactly be Presidency asking Nigerians and international community to believe?’
E warn say the confusion dey damage country’s standing with investors and development partners. E note say ‘every needless contradiction chips away at our national credibility. Investors dey watch. Development partners dey watch. The world dey watch.’
The former Vice President also point to legal dimension of crisis, noting say while Presidency announce both outgoing and incoming officials as Director-General, the law wey establish agency provide for Executive Secretary as im chief executive, a designation wey agency itself still officially recognise.
Atiku describe BCDA episode as only the latest for disturbing pattern of institutional disorder under present administration. E recall confusion wey engulf Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST), where conflicting claims over agency’s leadership leave Nigerians uncertain which presidential directive be authentic. E also cite controversy surrounding Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), where Presidency first distance itself from body before later directing investigation, alongside recurring questions over budgetary allocations for projects unrelated to agencies’ statutory mandates and repeated policy reversals.
‘When one incident occur, dem fit dismiss am as human error. When e happen repeatedly, e become evidence of systemic failure. From NIPOST to PFIPC and now BCDA, this administration don demonstrate alarming inability to coordinate even routine governmental decisions. Governance don reduce to improvisation, while Nigerians dey left to bear cost of confusion. These no longer be isolated public relations mishaps; dem point to deeper crisis of coordination, competence and accountability at highest levels of government,’ e say.
Meanwhile, African Democratic Congress (ADC) don allege say President Bola Tinubu fit don lose control of im administration. The party yarn this while reacting to leadership crisis at Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA). Daily Trust don report how Dr Dakorinama Alabo George, governorship aspirant under All Progressives Congress (APC) for Rivers State, refuse to vacate office of Executive Secretary, despite im replacement by Presidency.
George don resign to contest governorship primaries for Rivers alongside Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Kingsley Chinda and Tonye Cole. However, e withdraw from contest at last minute to pave way for Chinda, Wike’s anointed candidate, wey subsequently emerge as APC governorship flag bearer for Rivers. As George fail to secure APC governorship ticket, e return to im office at agency. Meanwhile, former House of Representatives member, Abdulrazak Sa’ad Namdas, wey Tinubu appoint as im replacement, don dey unable to assume office.
Reacting to controversy, Bolaji Abdullahi, ADC spokesman, say a Presidency where official appointments fit allegedly dey ignored without consequence raise serious questions about who really dey control of administration. Abdullahi say BCDA dispute, together with earlier Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) scandal and pattern of policy reversals, suggest say unelected individuals fit don hijack President’s constitutional powers to appoint and remove public officers.
ADC call on National Assembly to activate relevant constitutional provisions to ascertain President’s fitness to continue for office, arguing say if e no longer fit assert control over im government, e suppose resign. ‘The African Democratic Congress (ADC) dey deeply alarmed by yet another bizarre episode for affairs of Federal Government, where man wey dem publicly remove from office by presidential directive reportedly continues to occupy same office and still hold meetings with senior officials of same government.’
‘If reports concerning Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA) be true, then this no longer be about one disputed appointment. E be about something far more disturbing: who dey actually in charge of Nigerian Presidency? When a President announce appointment of one person and another simply ignore that directive and carry on for office, Nigeria no longer dey witness administrative confusion. We dey witness struggle for control of Presidency itself.’
‘The BCDA episode no fit dismiss as isolated incident because e follow growing and disturbing pattern. Nigerians still dey watch for bewilderment, embarrassing spectacle of so-called phantom Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), a government agency wey officially no exist, yet somehow operate at highest level of government, and conduct itself with confidence of legitimate institution. E be only when allegations emerge of im fake Director-General’s collaboration with President’s Chief of Staff that scandal no longer fit ignore.’
‘Taken together, these episodes reveal a Presidency steadily dey lose im monopoly over one of most fundamental powers of government: constitutional authority to appoint and remove public officers. Today, Nigerians no longer know whether an appointment announced by Presidency be final, whether a dismissal actually take effect, or whether somebody somewhere possess superior authority capable of overruling presidential decisions without explanation.’
‘Effectively, Tinubu administration don become place where official announcements compete with unofficial power, where competing interests fight over appointments and patronage. Under President Tinubu, Nigerian Presidency, like Nigerian economy and Nigeria’s security situation, don start to resemble system governed by principle of survival of fittest.’
‘This dey make even worse by disturbing pattern of public reversals wey don become defining feature of this administration. From hurried suspension of Cybersecurity Levy after nationwide outrage, to withdrawal of Expatriate Employment Levy following resistance from investors, to repeated policy summersaults and contradictory government announcements across several sectors, Nigerians don become accustomed to government wey announce first, retreat later, and explain afterwards.’
‘A government wey no fit consistently stand by im own decisions gradually dey lose not only credibility, but authority. Investors become uncertain. Bureaucracy become confused. Public institutions begin to test limits of their power because dem no longer know whether today’s directive go still exist tomorrow.’
‘At this point, Nigerians deserve answers wey go beyond carefully managed press statements. Who dey exercise constitutional powers of President? Who authorise appointments? Who countermand President’s directive at BCDA, if indeed dem don countermand am? Who permit fictitious agency to masquerade as arm of Presidency? These no be opposition questions. Dem be constitutional questions. Dem go directly to integrity of executive authority and stability of our nation.’
‘A country where citizens, investors, diplomats and even public servants doubt whether signature of President be final authority of executive arm of federal government as e don happen under this Tinubu administration, be country for deep trouble.’
‘In view of grave constitutional implications of these repeated episodes, National Assembly suppose immediately exercise im oversight responsibilities and invoke relevant constitutional provisions to satisfy itself say President remain fully capable for body and sound mind to discharge duties of im office and say powers wey Constitution vest for am dey personally exercised by am, not appropriated by unelected interests wey dey operate behind scenes.’
‘If President Tinubu no fit assert control over im own Presidency, then honourable course be to acknowledge that reality and resign. Nigeria no fit afford Presidency where nobody know who truly dey in charge.’
