Chamba Elders Appeal to Tinubu Over Delay in Namdas’ Appointment Letter

The Chamba Elders Council (CEC) has made a passionate appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to direct the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, to immediately release the appointment letter of Hon. Dr. Abdulrazak Sa’ad Namdas as Director-General of the Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA). The appeal comes more than six weeks after the Presidency publicly announced the appointment, with Dr. Namdas yet to receive his formal letter and assume office.

Addressing journalists on Tuesday at the NUJ Press Centre in Yola, the elders expressed appreciation to the Federal Government for appointing one of their own to the strategic position. However, they raised serious concerns that while other individuals appointed alongside Dr. Namdas have received their letters and assumed office, the former House of Representatives spokesperson remains in limbo.

The council, comprising elders of Chamba origin from Ganye, Jada, Toungo, Mayo-Belwa and Fufore Local Government Areas, described Dr. Namdas’ appointment as a significant recognition of the Chamba people, noting it was the first time in many years that a community member had been appointed to such a prestigious federal position.

 They commended President Tinubu for the appointment and extended gratitude to Vice President Kashim Shettima for his support to the Chamba chiefdom, recalling that Shettima was represented in Ganye during the 25th anniversary celebration of the Gangwari Ganye.

The Elders Council was emphatic that Ganye, Dr. Namdas’ hometown, has been an APC-controlled area for years with strong potential to deliver substantial votes for President Tinubu and other APC aspirants in the 2027 elections.

The council argued that releasing Dr. Namdas’ appointment letter would serve as a significant morale booster for the campaign, particularly as the APC has formally adopted President Tinubu as its sole presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections.

Elder Mohamed Garba Laweso, who read the council’s resolution, also appealed to Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri and National Security Adviser Mallam Nuhu Ribadu to add their voices to the call, describing the intervention as mutually beneficial to all parties.

The Chamba Elders Council highlighted the geographical spread of the Chamba nation, which cuts across three states in Nigeria, underscoring the community’s strategic importance.

They noted that Dr. Namdas hails from a border community and that the area co-hosts the Gashaka-Gumti National Park, described as the largest national park in Nigeria, making him uniquely suited for the BCDA role.

The elders pointed to Dr. Namdas’ distinguished public service record, noting that he served two terms in the Federal House of Representatives, where he chaired the Committees on Media and Public Affairs and Army. He previously served on the Governing Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), representing the North-East Zone. He also served as Chief Press Secretary to former Adamawa State Governor Boni Haruna. The council expressed confidence that he would bring the same commitment to his new role at the BCDA.

The delay has triggered a leadership crisis at the BCDA, as the immediate past chief executive, Dr. Dakorinama George, has continued to perform official duties despite the Presidency’s announcement that Dr. Namdas had replaced him.

Dr. George, who resigned to contest an elective position in Rivers State but lost, reportedly returned to the agency and has continued to issue directives and represent BCDA at official functions.

The Chamba Elders Council’s appeal represents not just a community’s plea but a call for administrative probity and respect for presidential authority.

 As the 2027 elections draw nearer, the resolution of this matter could have far-reaching political implications for the APC in Adamawa State and beyond.