The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has expressed concern over what it described as an “appointment fiasco” within President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party called on the National Assembly to determine whether the President remains capable of effectively carrying out the responsibilities of his office.
The ADC said it was troubled by reports that a government official who was publicly removed from office through a presidential directive allegedly continues to occupy the same position and attend official meetings with senior government functionaries.
According to the party, if the reports surrounding the Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA) are accurate, the issue goes beyond a disputed appointment and raises broader concerns about accountability and governance within the administration.
Parts of the statement read, “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 BCDA episode cannot be dismissed as an isolated incident because it follows a growing and disturbing pattern. Nigerians are still watching in bewilderment, the embarrassing spectacle of the so-called phantom Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), a government agency that officially did not exist, yet somehow operated at the highest level of government, and conducted itself with the confidence of a legitimate institution.
“It was only when allegations emerged of its fake Director-General’s collaboration with the President’s Chief of Staff that the scandal could no longer be ignored.
“Taken together, these episodes reveal a Presidency steadily losing its monopoly over one of the most fundamental powers of government: the constitutional authority to appoint and remove public officers.
“Today, Nigerians no longer know whether an appointment announced by the Presidency is final, whether a dismissal actually takes effect, or whether someone somewhere possesses a superior authority capable of overruling presidential decisions without explanation.
“Effectively, the Tinubu administration has become a place where official announcements compete with unofficial power, where competing interests fight over appointments and patronage. Under President Tinubu, the Nigerian Presidency, like the Nigerian economy and Nigeria’s security situation has started to resemble a system governed by the principle of the survival of the fittest.
“This is made even worse by a disturbing pattern of public reversals that has become the defining feature of this administration. From the hurried suspension of the Cybersecurity Levy after nationwide outrage, to the withdrawal of the Expatriate Employment Levy following resistance from investors, to repeated policy summersaults and contradictory government announcements across several sectors, Nigerians have become accustomed to a government that announces first, retreats later, and explains afterwards.
“A government that cannot consistently stand by its own decisions gradually loses not only credibility, but authority. Investors become uncertain. The bureaucracy became confused. Public institutions begin to test the limits of their power because they no longer know whether Today’s directive will still exist tomorrow.
“At this point, Nigerians deserve answers that go beyond carefully managed press statements. Who is exercising the constitutional powers of the President? Who authorises appointments? Who countermanded the President’s directive at the BCDA, if indeed it has been countermanded?
“Who permitted a fictitious agency to masquerade as an arm of the Presidency? These are not opposition questions. They are constitutional questions. They go directly to the integrity of executive authority and the stability of our nation.”
BACKSTORY:
The controversy stems from reports surrounding the leadership of the Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA), where questions have been raised over the status of a senior official who was reportedly removed from office through a presidential directive. Despite the reported removal, claims that the official continues to occupy the position and participate in official government meetings have fueled public debate.
The development has triggered concerns among political observers and opposition parties, with calls for greater clarity over the implementation of presidential directives and adherence to due process within the Federal Government.
Reacting to the reports, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) described the situation as an “appointment crisis,” arguing that, if the claims are accurate, they raise broader questions about accountability, governance, and administrative coordination within President Bola Tinubu’s administration. The party also urged the National Assembly to examine the matter and determine whether the President remains fully in control of the affairs of government.
