Three Ministers Resign for 2027 Election Bids in Nigeria

President Bola Tinubu accepted the resignation of Nigeria's Minister of Transportation, Saidu Alkali, on Tuesday after a closed-door meeting at the State House in Abuja, as the minister steps down to pursue the governorship of Gombe State ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Alkali's decision aligns with a presidential directive issued earlier in March, which requires all political appointees seeking elective office to resign by March 31, 2026. The order, communicated through Secretary to the Government of the Federation George Akume, complies with Section 881 of the Electoral Act, 2026, and the Independent National Electoral Commission's timetable for party primaries. A statement from Alkali's media aide, Umar Jibril, confirmed the resignation, noting it allows the minister to contest the Gombe governorship on the All Progressives Congress platform.

In a press release issued in Gombe, Alkali expressed gratitude to Tinubu for the opportunity to serve. "I am deeply grateful to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the privilege to serve our great nation," he said. "As I step down, I do so with a sense of fulfilment over the progress recorded in the transportation sector, and with...