24 Hours To Deadline: Ministers Yet To Resign

Twenty-four hours to the expiration of the deadline issued by the federal government for political appointees seeking elective positions to resign, no minister has tendered resignation, our checks have revealed.

But a presidential aide and Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Citizenship and Leadership, Nasir Bala Aminu, popularly known as Ja’oji, resigned his appointment ahead of the 2027 general elections over the weekend.

Other top appointees are reportedly on the verge of doing so.

President Tinubu had directed all political appointees under his administration who intend to contest elective offices in the forthcoming general elections to resign their appointments on or before March 31, 2026.

Going by the directive, those who have not submitted their resignation letters by Tuesday may forfeit their political ambitions to retain their current positions.

In a statement through the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the presidency explained that the directive is pursuant to the provisions of Section 88(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026, as well as the timetable issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for party primaries ahead of the 2027 general elections.

It said the circular affects the following: “Honourable Ministers, Honourable Ministers of State, Special Advisers to the President, Senior Special Assistants to the President, Special Assistants the President, Personal Assistants to the President, All Directors-General, and Chief Executive Officers of Federal Government Parastatals, Agencies, Commissions, and Government-owned Companies, as well as all Other Political Appointees of the President.

“Accordingly, all affected officials are required to submit their formal resignation letters through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation not later than March 31, 2026.”

Checks by our correspondents indicate that no less than 14 appointees of the president, including ministers and aides, are eyeing the governorship seats in their respective states.

They include Minister of Communications, Bosun Tijani who hails from Ogun State; Principal Private Secretary to President Bola Tinubu, Hakeem Muri-Okunola from Lagos State; Minister of Transport, Senator Saidu Alkali from Gombe State; Minister for Agriculture, Senator Abubakar Kyari from Borno State.

Others are Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, from Bauchi State; Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Ali Pate, also from Bauchi State and Adebayo Adelabu, Minister of Power, from Oyo State.

Dr Mathias Byuan, the Executive Director, Housing Finance and Accounts at the Federal Housing Authority; Pius Akutah, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC); Ahmed Galadima Aminu, Chief Executive Officer of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), and Nasir Bala Aminu Ja’oji, the Senior Special Assistant to President who just resigned, are also said to be eyeing elective positions in their various states.

Why the hesitation

Investigations by our correspondents indicate that the ministers are hesitant to quit the cabinet because they are yet to receive what they call ‘the right signals’ for them to do so.

This, some of their close associates said, is the assurance that they would be given the All Progressives Congress (APC) tickets for the positions they’re interested in vying for.

Sources that spoke with our correspondents said most of the appointees complained that they were yet to receive further communications from either the party or the presidency on what would be done to protect their interests in case they quit.

Some said they’re not sure how the President may react to the resignation, as it could be interpreted as an act of ingratitude or discontent with the present assignment.

“The directive from the presidency didn’t sound like an encouragement and any brash reaction could be interpreted as rude or having no consideration for the success of the president.

“What the ministers are doing is consulting widely to see if there would be further communication on the matter before taking the final leap,” a source explained.

Daily Trust learnt that some have decided to wait this long to use the opportunity of the APC National Convention to gauge the mood of the President through those close to him and to seek assurance from the presidency that they would be supported to get the party’s ticket, since the primaries are going to be largely through consensus.

A source told our correspondents that taking the decision is not easy, as so many risks are involved when people do not have an express endorsement from the President.

Recall that during the administration of Goodluck Jonathan, some appointees took the risks and resigned their appointments, but only a few, like Darius Ishaku of Taraba, could secure the tickets of the then ruling party after leaving the cabinet.

Samuel Ortom, from Benue, who resigned as minister, could not get the PDP ticket but had to run to the opposition APC to be offered the governorship ticket.

Bala Mohammed faced the same situation in 2015 when he was serving as minister of the FCT. When he weighed the prospects and saw that the Buhari effect might sweep PDP out of Bauchi, he declined to contest and held on to his ministerial position.

A source said that during Olusegun Obasanjo’s tenure, those serving under him were clear about the level of support they would receive, making it easier for them to step aside and contest elections.

Analysts suggests it was through such support that Obasanjo’s close associates like Liyel Imoke, Babangida Aliyu, and Kashim Imam were able to secure the tickets of the ruling party.

In the current dispensation, apart from the directive for them to resign, our correspondents learnt that there have been no further communication or words of encouragement.

Again, some aspirants are uncertain of securing support from their governors back home and instead rely on the presidency to step in and secure the governors’ backing for the plan.

There are peculiar cases, however, according to our investigations.

Kyari

In the case of Kyari, who is from Borno State, analysts said there are three obstacles that he has to surmount to quit the cabinet, though there’s no doubt he’s interested in succeeding Babagana Zulum as governor.

A source said the first is to get a guarantee from the President; two, win the heart of Vice President Kashim Shettima, who is from that state and thirdly, ensure Zulum does not have his own agenda.

Pate and Tuggar

The case of Bauchi is peculiar as there are two key ministers from the state who are equally interested in running for the office of governor.

Pate has been running for the office since 2015 and has not missed the opportunity to test his popularity at every election cycle since then.

Tuggar also ran in 2015 and wants to run again in 2027.

Both are holding key ministries that they may not want to let go if there’ are no assurances from ‘the top.’

Each aspirant must first be certain of securing presidential backing for the ticket before relinquishing their current position.

There are also strong contenders on the ground like the former governor M.A Abubakar and Senator Buba Shehu.

The two ministers are, however, not worried about the general elections once they could get the APC ticket, as the opposition appears weakened in the state.

A close political associate to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and former state chairman of the APC in the state, Alhaji Uba Ahmed Nana, said Tuggar would contest the governorship position in Bauchi.

“Of course, Tuggar is going to contest the APC gubernatorial ticket in Bauchi,” he said in response to inquiries from one of our correspondents.

Another close associate of the minister, who requested anonymity, told our correspondent that the minister is awaiting the President’s nod.

“You know he is doing a lot of work at the ministry, so it would not be right for him to just leave, as that could be interpreted as abandoning his duties when the President needs him.

“He has to follow due process by consulting the President and ensuring that all arrangements are in place so that the sensitive work he is handling for the country does not suffer.”

A close associate of Prof Pate also confirmed that the minister is still interested in running as governor, but couldn’t say when he would resign.

“He has not withdrawn from the race, that I can assure you,” he said.

Adelabu

In Oyo State, Adebayo Adelabu appears poised to test the waters once he secures the President’s nod.

Observers say that without presidential backing, clinching the APC ticket could prove a Herculean task, as many party stalwarts in the state view his ambition as encroaching on their chances of securing ministerial appointments and are reluctant to support him.

As a result, he is proceeding cautiously, waiting for the right signals before making a move.

Muri-Okunola

With the reported support that the Lagos State deputy governor, Femi  Kadri Hamzat, is said to be getting from the presidency, it would be a surprise if Muri Okunola resigns his current position as principal private secretary, which guarantees his closeness to the President, unless the tide changes.

To many Lagosians, any indication that Muri Okunola is leaving the presidency to contest can only mean one thing: that he has been endorsed by the President.

Tijani

For the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, who is from Ogun State and has his eyes set on becoming the next governor of the state, it is not clear what is still holding him from resigning.

He is said to be young and vibrant, but may not be ready to confront the powers that be in the state unless he gets the express intervention of Mr President.

Alkali

For the Minister of Transportation, Senator Saidu Ahmed Alkali, who represented Gombe North senatorial district in the sixth, seventh and ninth Senate, his supporters are upbeat that would resign and contest the governorship seat.

Reports indicate that when he visited the state recently, his supporters said he had given them the assurance that he is serious about contesting the governorship seat and that he would resign his appointment to enable him to do so.

When contacted, his Special Assistant on Media, Umar Alkali Jibrin, declined to give a definitive position, urging the public to wait until the stipulated date.

“With just two days to the deadline, it is better to wait and hear directly from the minister himself,” Jibrin said.

He explained that, as a media aide, he was not in a position to speak on the matter, noting that the minister had not disclosed his plans to him.

“By March 31, Nigerians will know whether he intends to contest or not,” he added.

The aide emphasised that the decision ultimately rests with the minister, stressing that only Alkali can confirm his political intentions.

Other appointees

In Benue State, two of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s appointees eyeing the governorship seat in 2027 are the Executive Director of Federal Housing Authority, Dr. Mathias Byuan and the Managing Director of Nigerian Shippers Council, Barr. Pius Akutah.

The duo are yet to resign from their various positions as at March 29, 2926.

An ally to both men who preferred anonymity told our correspondent on Sunday that Akutah and Byuan still have hours to make their decision.

Last week, there were calls by a group of women for the Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), Ahmed Galadima Aminu, to resign and contest the governorship seat in the state.

Nasir Bala Aminu Ja’oji, a Senior Special Assistant to President Tinubu on Citizenship and Leadership, has, however, resigned.  He is eyeing the Tarauni federal constituency seat.

In Yobe State, two public office holders at the federal level are expected to resign their positions to contest the governorship election in the forthcoming polls.

They are the Federal Character Commissioner representing Yobe State, Hon. Jibrin Maigari and the Mandate Secretary, Youth and Sports Secretariat of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Hon. Lawan Kolo Geidam.

Although they are yet to resign, it is widely believed that both individuals are eyeing the governorship ticket in Yobe State. (Daily trust)