The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has expressed deep concern over what it describes as a growing crisis of authority within President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's administration, warning that recent developments surrounding federal appointments raise fundamental constitutional questions about who is exercising executive power in Nigeria.

In a statement issued on the controversy surrounding the Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA), the party argued that the issue extends beyond a disputed appointment and reflects what it considers a disturbing erosion of presidential authority.

According to the ADC, reports indicating that an individual publicly removed from office by presidential directive has continued to occupy the position and hold official meetings with senior government officials suggest a breakdown in the chain of command within the Presidency.

"If these reports are accurate," the party stated, "this is no longer about one appointment. It is about who is actually in charge of the Nigerian Presidency."

The ADC noted that the BCDA controversy is not an isolated occurrence but part of a broader pattern that has left Nigerians questioning the credibility and consistency of the Federal Government's decisions. The party referenced the controversy surrounding the so-called Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), which it described as a non-existent government agency that nevertheless operated with apparent official recognition before concerns emerged over its alleged links to the Presidency.

According to the party, these incidents suggest that the Presidency is gradually losing control over one of its most fundamental constitutional responsibilities—the power to appoint and remove public officials.

"The situation has created uncertainty over whether presidential appointments are final, whether dismissals actually take effect, or whether there are other centres of authority capable of overriding presidential decisions without explanation," the statement said.

The ADC further argued that the Tinubu administration has increasingly become characterised by conflicting official and unofficial power structures, creating confusion within government institutions and weakening public confidence in executive authority.

The party also pointed to what it described as a recurring pattern of policy reversals under the current administration. It cited the suspension of the Cybersecurity Levy following widespread public opposition, the withdrawal of the Expatriate Employment Levy after resistance from the business community, and several other policy reversals as evidence of inconsistency in governance.

According to the ADC, a government that repeatedly reverses its own decisions risks undermining both its credibility and its authority.

"When government directives are frequently changed or withdrawn, investors become uncertain, the bureaucracy becomes confused, and public institutions begin to question whether today's directive will still stand tomorrow," the party stated.

The ADC further argued that the uncertainty surrounding presidential appointments and executive decisions has profound implications for governance, public confidence, and Nigeria's standing in the international community.

According to the party, a country where citizens, investors, diplomats, and even public servants are uncertain whether the President's signature represents the final authority of the executive arm of the Federal Government—as it claims has become the case under the Tinubu administration—is a country facing a deep constitutional crisis. The party maintained that such uncertainty erodes confidence in public institutions, discourages investment, and weakens the credibility of executive authority.

In view of what it described as the grave constitutional implications of these repeated episodes, the ADC called on the National Assembly to immediately exercise its oversight responsibilities. The party urged lawmakers to invoke the relevant constitutional provisions to satisfy themselves that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains fully capable, in body and sound mind, of discharging the duties of his office, and that the executive powers vested in him by the Constitution are being personally exercised by him rather than by unelected interests operating behind the scenes.

The ADC maintained that Nigerians deserve clear answers to several constitutional questions: Who is exercising the President's constitutional powers? Who authorises appointments within the Federal Government? Who, if anyone, overruled the President's directive regarding the BCDA? How was a purportedly non-existent agency allowed to operate under the Presidency? According to the party, these are not merely opposition concerns but fundamental constitutional issues that go to the heart of executive accountability, democratic governance, and the stability of the Nigerian state.

The party concluded by stating that if President Tinubu is unable to assert effective control over his administration and the Presidency, "the honourable course is to acknowledge that reality and resign." According to the ADC, "Nigeria cannot afford a Presidency where nobody knows who is truly in charge."