President Bola Tinubu’s approval of the mandate for the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action (SPEC) undermines a government institution established by law.

Development Diaries reports that, with the president’s approval of the mandate, SPEC shall be the supervising interface between the Secretariat of the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC) and the NCCC Supervising Council, which the President chairs.

According to the statement released by the presidency, the SPEC shall directly engage other nations, international organisations, and non-governmental entities to build coalitions and advance global climate goals in Nigeria’s national interest, and also to oversee the activities of the NCCC.

Where does this action leave the NCCC?

Also, what happens to the SPEC once another president takes over?

Why is President Tinubu undermining a government institution created by law?

What will now be the role of the NCCC?

By law, the NCCC is the nationally designated authority and official focal point working to address the impacts of climate change in Nigeria.

The NCCC was established by section three of the Climate Change Act of 2021 as the body charged with the power to make policies on all matters relating to climate change in Nigeria.

Established in 2022, it is tasked with providing a platform for collaboration and coordination among various government agencies, the private sector, civil society organisations, and other stakeholders in Nigeria to combat and mitigate the impact of climate change.

Therefore, the SPEC is not empowered by law to oversee the activities and operations of the NCCC secretariat as directed by the president.

By bypassing or undermining a legally established institution, the president is setting a precedent that might encourage future leaders to further erode institutional frameworks for personal or political gain.

It can also lead to a cycle of institutional weakening, where legal and regulatory bodies are systematically stripped of their power, making it challenging to maintain effective governance and uphold the rule of law.

To avoid further decline in public trust and confidence in the lawfully established NCCC, and to uphold the rule of law in Nigeria, President Tinubu needs to reverse his approval for the creation of the SPEC office and allow the NCCC to carry out its mandate as backed by the Climate Change Act of 2021.