Controversy Deepens Over Agara’s Return as NDE DG After Resignation; Legal Experts Demand Presidency’s Clarification

Fresh controversy has erupted over the return of Silas Ali Agara as Director-General of the NationalDirectorate of Employment (NDE), months after he resigned to contest the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial primary election in NasarawaState.

The development has ignited debates among legal practitioners, civil society organisations and governance advocates, who are questioning whether Agara’s return complied with constitutional and administrative procedures governing federal appointments. 

Agara resigned from office in April 2026 in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive requiring political appointees seeking elective offices to step down before participating in party primaries. Following his unsuccessful bid for the APC senatorial ticket, the NDE announced that he had officially resumed duty on July 13, 2026, where he was received by the agency’s management led by Acting Director-General Edmund Onwuliri. 

The NDE, through its official platforms, described the event as Agara’s formal return to leadership, with management and staff pledging support for his vision of promoting employment creation, entrepreneurship development and poverty reduction across Nigeria.

However, his resumption has generated widespread legal and political questions over whether a public officer who resigned from a statutory appointment can automatically reclaimthe office without a fresh appointment by the President.

CSO Demands Explanation

The Network for Human Rights and Good Governance (NHRGG) has asked President Tinubu to publicly explain the legal basis upon whichAgara resumed office.

According to the group, once the resignation of a statutory office holder is accepted, the appointment effectively comes to an end andcannot simply be revived without following dueprocess.

The organisation questioned whether the Presidency had issued a fresh appointment letterand, if so, why no official announcement was made.

It also raised concerns over fairness, asking whether other political appointees who resigned to contest elections but failed to secure party tickets would equally be allowed to return to their former offices.

What the Law Says

Although no court has ruled on Agara’s return, legal analysts point to established principles of Nigerian administrative law.

Appointments into many federal agencies, including the office of Director-General of the NDE, are presidential appointments made pursuant to the agency’s enabling law. Once such an appointment is resigned and accepted, legal experts say the office becomes vacant unless theappointing authority makes a fresh appointment.

Lawyers note that public offices are statutory in nature and are governed by law rather than administrative discretion.

Constitutional lawyers also argue that government actions must comply with the principles oftransparency, accountability and equality beforethe law as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution.

They warn that failure to follow due process inappointments could expose government decisions to judicial review if challenged before the courts.

No Evidence of Criminal Conduct

Despite the controversy, there is currently no official finding or judicial pronouncement that Agara committed any criminal offence by resuming office.

Similarly, neither the Presidency nor any anti-corruption agency has accused him of unlawfully occupying the position.

The central issue remains whether his return was backed by a fresh presidential approval that has not yet been made public. 

Implications for the Tinubu Administration

Political observers say the controversy extendsbeyond Agara himself and could have broader implications for the credibility of President Tinubu’s administration.

The President had directed political appointeesseeking elective offices to resign before contesting party primaries, a move widely praised as reinforcing ethical standards in public service.

If Agara’s return occurred without a transparent reappointment process, governance experts warn it could create the perception that government directives are applied selectively.

Such perceptions, analysts say, risk weakeningpublic confidence in the administration’s commitment to the rule of law, institutional reforms and equal treatment of public officials.

They argue that Nigerians may begin to question whether government policies are enforced uniformly or only when politically convenient.

Analysts further caution that allowing resignedpolitical appointees to return to office without publicly documented procedures could establish a precedent capable of undermining disciplineacross the federal public service.

Calls for Transparency

Civil society organisations have therefore urgedthe Presidency to publish any letter or instrument authorising Agara’s return in order to removedoubts surrounding the legality of thedevelopment.

According to the groups, transparency would notonly protect the integrity of the office but alsoreassure Nigerians that due process remains thecornerstone of public administration.

They insist that strengthening institutions requires government decisions to be seen as lawful, transparent and consistently applied, regardless of the personalities involved. 

As of the time of filing this report, the Presidency had not publicly announced a fresh appointment orissued an official statement addressing the concerns raised over Agara’s return to office.