Six weeks after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu announced the appointment of former House of Representatives member Abdulrazak Sa’ad Namdas as Director-General of the Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA), the Adamawa politician is yet to receive the appointment letter required for him to formally assume office.
The delay has triggered fresh controversy at the agency, with Namdas’ Chamba community in Adamawa State appealing to President Tinubu to intervene and direct the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, to issue the appointment letter.
Tinubu had on June 26, 2026, announced Namdas as the new Director-General of the BCDA, replacing Dr Dakorinama Alabo George, who had resigned from the position to pursue his political ambition in Rivers State.
The Presidency said at the time that the appointment was effective immediately.
But weeks after the presidential directive, Namdas has reportedly remained unable to take over the agency because he is yet to be handed the formal appointment letter.
The development is particularly controversial because other members appointed alongside Namdas have reportedly received their letters and commenced their duties, while the former BCDA boss has continued to perform official functions despite the President’s directive.
A report published by SaharaReporters on July 20 quoted sources as saying the delay had created a leadership tussle within the agency, with the immediate past chief executive, Dakorinama George, continuing to carry out official duties.
The controversy has also raised questions over the role of the Office of the SGF, which is responsible for processing and communicating several federal appointments.
Sources have alleged that Akume may be under pressure from political interests opposed to Namdas’ assumption of office, particularly because George is believed to be an ally of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike.
George had resigned his BCDA position to participate in the Rivers State governorship race on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), but withdrew from the contest, paving the way for Kingsley Chinda, regarded as Wike’s preferred candidate, to emerge.
Following the development, allegations have emerged that political interests linked to Wike are behind efforts to retain George at the agency despite Tinubu’s appointment of Namdas.
There is, however, no public evidence establishing that Akume and Wike are personally coordinating the delay, and neither the SGF nor the FCT Minister has publicly accepted responsibility for withholding Namdas’ appointment letter.
The controversy has nevertheless continued to fuel questions over whether a presidential appointment can be stalled by bureaucratic or political interests after the President has publicly approved it.
Namdas’ Chamba community is now asking Tinubu to personally intervene.
Addressing journalists in Yola on Tuesday, representatives of the community, led by Muhammad Garba Laweso appealed to the President to direct the SGF to immediately release Namdas’ appointment letter and allow him to assume office.
The community argued that allowing the former lawmaker to take over the agency would not only respect the President’s directive but also demonstrate that presidential decisions are binding on government institutions.
The community further appealed to Tinubu to consider the political implications of the controversy ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
According to the community, Namdas’ confirmation and assumption of office would strengthen support for Tinubu in Adamawa State and demonstrate the President’s commitment to fairness and due process.
The community said it was particularly concerned that an appointee publicly announced by the President could remain unable to assume office for weeks while the person he was appointed to replace continues to function.
The development had earlier attracted wider political attention, with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar describing the BCDA controversy as part of what he called a growing pattern of administrative confusion in the Tinubu administration.
Atiku’s camp said the controversy was an indication that presidential pronouncements were no longer receiving the level of implementation expected in government.
The Presidency has not announced any reversal of Namdas’ appointment.
(SaharaReporters)