Minister resigns to contest in Gombe Election

Minutes to the March 31 deadline, tension gripped the corridors of power as political appointees seeking to contest election scrambled to beat President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s resignation directive.

By nightfall, resignation letters had flooded the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), but one notable name was missing.

Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, failed to resign, effectively ruling himself out of the 2027 Oyo State governorship race for which he has invested time and resources.

His position contrasts sharply with earlier reports suggesting he had stepped down in compliance with the directive.

A purported resignation letter that circulated widely on social and traditional media was later found to be fake news.

President Tinubu had, in mid-March, directed all political appointees seeking elective offices in 2027 to resign on or before March 31, in line with the Electoral Act, 2026.

According a source, about 40 resignation letters had been received, mostly from heads of federal agencies and parastatals.

The identities of those who resigned were not disclosed, as the source was not authorised to release such details.

Only one high-profile resignation had been publicly confirmed earlier in the week—that of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar.

Fresh checks on Tuesday, however, indicated that more members of the Federal Executive Council have stepped down in compliance with the directive.

Among them are the Minister of Transportation, Sa’idu Ahmed Alkali, and the Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Yusuf Sununu, both said to have resigned their appointments.

Alkali was sighted at the State House on Tuesday, where he held a meeting with the President. He is believed to be preparing to contest the Gombe State governorship.