There are strong indications that several ministers and political appointees in the administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu may resign their positions within the next 24 hours to pursue political ambitions ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The development follows last week’s directive issued by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF George Akume, mandating all political appointees intending to contest elections to resign on or before March 31, 2026.
The directive, according to the SGF, is in compliance with Section 88(1) of the Electoral Act 2026 and guidelines set by the Independent National Electoral Commission for the 2027 general elections.
Affected officials include ministers, ministers of state, special advisers, senior special assistants, special assistants, personal assistants to the president, as well as directors-general, chief executive officers of federal agencies, and other political appointees.
“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,” the circular stated.
However, with less than 24 hours to the deadline, findings indicate that several appointees—particularly ministers—remain undecided.
Presidency sources in Abuja, the nation’s capital revealed that some ministers believed to be nursing governorship ambitions are still weighing their options. Among them are the Minister of Health, Muhammad Ali Pate; Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu; Minister of Communications, Bosun Tijani; Minister of Agriculture, Abubakar Kyari; and Minister of Transport, Saidu Alkali.
Others reportedly considering similar moves include the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Education, though confirmations remain fluid.
Apart from the ministers, key presidential aides such as Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President, and Muri Okunola, the President’s Principal Secretary, are also said to be weighing governorship bids in Lagos State.
However, emerging political calculations appear to be reshaping decisions. Sources indicate that both Gbajabiamila and Okunola are reconsidering their ambitions following reports that the current Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat, is favoured as the consensus candidate of the ruling party.
Party insiders disclosed that a recent meeting of South-West APC leaders with President Tinubu in Lagos may have produced informal agreements on consensus candidates across the region.
Governorship elections are expected to hold in Lagos, Ogun, and Oyo states in 2027, while Osun State is set for an earlier poll in September 2026, according to INEC’s timetable.
In Bauchi State, where two ministers are believed to be eyeing the seat of incumbent governor Bala Mohammed, uncertainty over presidential backing is said to be fueling hesitation.
According to party sources in Oyo state, the Minister of Power, Adelabu is said to be wiehging his governorship ambition against recent reports, to the effect that the presidency favours Senator Sarafa Ali as APC governorship candidate in the upcoming election. Whether Adelabu will drop out of the race by resigning his position, is still a subject of speculations, particularly after the minister disclosed last week that he’s still in the race.
“It would be risky to resign from a ministerial position without clarity on party support,” a presidency source said.
Meanwhile, pressure is mounting on all affected appointees to comply with the directive before the close of business on Tuesday. Failure to do so, insiders say, would signal abandonment of any plans to contest in the 2027 elections.
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Is it not funny that those who want to SERVE THEIR SELFISH INTERESTS ARE FOOT DRAGGING?. The die is cast. Let those with genuine interest to serve the peoples RESIGN NOW. # ZERO CHARACTER , ZERO INTEGRITY AND ZERO PEDIGREE GOONS.