Power Struggle in Presidency over Tinubu’s New Appointee

Three weeks after President Bola Tinubu appointed Dr Abdulrazak Namdas as the Director-General of the Border Communities Development Agency, there are claims that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, has not sent out his appointment letter.

This situation has led to confusion at the agency since the former boss, Dakorinama George, is still carrying out his duties while the presidential order is stuck.

The Presidency announced Namdas's appointment on June 26. This was shared in a statement by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who said Namdas, a former spokesperson for the House of Representatives, would replace George, who resigned to run for an elective position in Rivers State. The statement noted that the appointment took immediate effect.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Abdulrazak Sa’ad Namdas as the new Director General of the Border Communities Development Agency. Dr Namdas replaces Dr Dakorinama Alabo George, who resigned to contest for an elective post in his home state,” the statement said.

The statement also mentioned that Hon. Patrick Obahiagbon was appointed as the Executive Director of Strategy & Commercial at the Niger Delta Power Holding Company, and Mr Chukwuma Umeoji was reappointed as Executive Director of Corporate Services at the NDPHC. These appointments took effect immediately.

Despite these announcements, Sunday PUNCH learned that Namdas has not started working because the official letter confirming his appointment has not been issued. This delay means George continues to perform his duties and represent the agency in high-level meetings.

For instance, on Thursday, July 9, George met with the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, in Abuja. They discussed the need for funds for BCDA projects. A report and photos from the meeting were shared on Facebook by 'Port Harcourt Force', a news platform based in Rivers, where George was titled as the “Executive Secretary” of the agency.

“During the meeting, George congratulated the minister on his appointment and appealed for timely releases of budgetary allocations for ongoing infrastructure projects across Nigeria’s border communities,” the report noted.

George also told the minister that BCDA facilitated a proposed $2 billion Chinese investment for a livestock processing hub in Maigatari, Jigawa State, and was working with security agencies to set up a Border Communities Intelligence Corps.

This situation raises questions about who is really in charge of the agency. APC chieftain Hamman Yero suggested that the delay was due to the SGF not sending out the President’s appointment.

In an interview with Trust TV that Sunday PUNCH monitored, Yero asked why Namdas had not received his appointment letter despite the official announcement. “This is a mandate given to the President by Nigerians. On whose mandate is the SGF acting?” he questioned.

“If the President directs that Namdas should be appointed and the SGF keeps the appointment letter without releasing it, then serious constitutional and administrative questions arise,” he added.

Yero explained that presidential appointments should usually flow smoothly from approval to the issuance of appointment letters through the SGF's office. “Is the Chief of Staff aware that Namdas has still not received his appointment letter? He should be aware now,” he said.

Yero rejected claims that George’s appointment had been restored, saying the uncertainty raises bigger questions about following presidential orders.

This BCDA situation is similar to a previous disagreement at the Nigerian Postal Service in October 2023, when President Tinubu appointed Tola Odeyemi as the new Postmaster-General and CEO of NIPOST. Just three days later, NIPOST announced that Adepoju had been reinstated, causing confusion over who was in charge.

The workers locked the agency’s office in Abuja and resisted Odeyemi’s arrival. The matter was resolved when the Presidency confirmed Tinubu’s appointment of Odeyemi, who resumed office on October 16, 2023.

Sources close to BCDA say that George never fully left the agency after announcing his resignation to pursue the APC governorship ticket in Rivers State. One senior official, who wanted to stay anonymous, claimed that George returned quietly after losing the primary election.

“He resigned to contest the governorship. After losing, he simply returned and resumed activities without any formal handover,” the source said.

The source also claimed that George had strong political support in the administration. It was alleged that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, who appointed George to BCDA in 2024, is backing him.

An ally of George dismissed the claims as “mere insinuation.” “Wike is also an appointee of the President and he cannot have such powers,” the ally said.

Bayo Onanuga, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, told Sunday PUNCH that the President’s decision still stands. “As far as I know, the President has not changed his mind. Namdas remains the Executive Secretary of the agency,” Onanuga said.

When asked why Namdas had not started work weeks after the announcement, Onanuga said the SGF’s office is responsible for issuing the formal appointment letter. “His appointment has been communicated to the Office of the SGF, so the SGF has to give him a letter,” he said.

But Onanuga did not explain why the appointment letter has not been issued. The Head of the Information and Public Relations Department of the SGF’s office, Christopher Ugwuegbulam, said they would respond after receiving a formal letter from our correspondent.

“I prefer you write to us, and we will give you a response,” he said.

The Special Adviser to the SGF on Media and Publicity, Mr Yomi Odunuga, also said he did not know about the issue. Efforts to reach George for comment were unsuccessful as he did not respond to calls or messages.

Suraj Bamidele, a constitutional lawyer, explained that the President has the power to appoint and remove heads of federal agencies. “In the BCDA case, the issue is not just about who the President appointed. It is about whether there is a clear system for ensuring that appointments are properly carried out,” he said.

He added that delays or disputes over appointments create legal uncertainties that can affect decisions made during that time.

Public affairs analyst Sunday Awosika said the situation raises serious governance issues. “This allegation is a very bad commentary for our country. We are still dealing with discussions around the alleged Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council, and now we have another issue regarding presidential appointments,” he said.

Awosika believes the President needs to take control. “It will be difficult to understand how someone whose resignation was accepted can still work in that office,” he said.

Analyst Abdulrasaq Rasheed said the situation shows a lack of coordination in government operations. “The role of the Chief of Staff is different from the SGF. The Chief of Staff is like a private secretary to the President. All appointment-related matters should go through the SGF,” he said.

The African Democratic Congress has called for President Tinubu to resign if he cannot control his administration. They claimed that recent issues around federal appointments show that the President’s orders are not being followed.

The opposition party urged the National Assembly to use its oversight powers to check if the President can still effectively do his job. In a statement from their National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, they said the BCDA issue is part of a worrying trend around presidential appointments and authority.

They referred to the controversy over the alleged Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council, calling it a “phantom” body that operates without legal backing. The ADC argued that these ongoing controversies raise serious doubts about whether the President can manage his power to appoint and remove public officials.

The party said, “If the reports about the Border Communities Development Agency are true, then this is no longer about one disputed appointment. It is about who is actually in charge of the Nigerian Presidency?”

“When a President announces the appointment of one person and another ignores that directive, Nigeria is facing more than administrative confusion. We are witnessing a struggle for control of the Presidency itself. These events show a Presidency losing control over its power to appoint and remove public officials.