BCDA leadership crisis: Quit 2027 race now, Atiku tells Tinubu

Presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar has called on President Bola Tinubu to withdraw from the 2027 presidential race, urging him instead to focus on addressing Nigeria's pressing challenges. Abubakar described the current administration as "adrift," pointing to the leadership crisis at the Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA) as a prime example of governance failures.

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Having presided over an administration that has lurched from one avoidable controversy to another, from policy reversals to institutional confusion, from worsening economic hardship to repeated governance failures, President Tinubu should take an honest look at the state of the nation and draw the only honourable conclusion.

In a statement released by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Abubakar argued that Tinubu should "take an honest look at the state of the nation and draw the only honourable conclusion." He suggested that acknowledging shortcomings and gracefully withdrawing from the 2027 contest would be a more responsible course of action than pursuing re-election amidst widespread difficulties.

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Rather than diverting public attention to an early re-election campaign, he should devote whatever remains of his tenure to addressing the pressing challenges confronting the nation or, better still, acknowledge that he has fallen short of the expectations of Nigerians and gracefully withdraw from the 2027 presidential contest.

Abubakar specifically questioned the contradictory situation at the BCDA, where both an outgoing and an incoming Director-General have been publicly appointed, yet the former continues to exercise authority. He highlighted that the law establishing the agency designates an Executive Secretary, not a Director-General, as its chief executive, adding another layer of confusion to the appointments.

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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? What exactly is the Presidency asking Nigerians and the international community to believe?

The presidential candidate warned that such "serial governance blunders" and "institutional confusion" are damaging Nigeria's international standing and credibility among investors and development partners. He emphasized that "every needless contradiction chips away at our national credibility" and that the world is watching the unfolding situation.

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every needless contradiction chips away at our national credibility. Investors are watching. Development partners are watching. The world is watching.