FOLLOWING the directive by President Muhammadu Buhari that all ministers vying for any elective office in 2023 should resign on or before Monday, May 16, Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio has tendered his resignation letter.
Earlier on April 28, long before the directive was issued during the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting of Wednesday, Minister of State for Education, Honourable Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, had tendered his resignation letter to President Buhari.
Nigerians will further await the report of resignation of other ministers eyeing positions in the 2023 elections.
Speaking to correspondents at the end of the meeting, Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, confirmed it to correspondents that the aspiring ministers have been ordered to resign.
He said he did not have the mandate to talk on the fate of other political appointees who are also vying for elective positions but are not members of the cabinet.
Top presidency source revealed that a circular may be issued within the next 24 hours from the office of the Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), directing all other political appointees in the race to resign.
Lai Mohammed affirmed that Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo is an elected official and, therefore, was not mandated to resign among the FEC members. It was understood that the president’s directive came after he received the resignation letter of Honourable Nwajiuba, who was said to have presented it on Tuesday.
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Buhari was said to have commended Nwajiuba and told other members of the council to emulate his action and resign with immediate effect. Rotimi Amaechi (Transportation), Ogbonnaya Onu (Science, Technology and Innovation), Chris Ngige (Labour and Employment), Godswill Akpabio (Niger Delta Affairs) and Timipre Sylva (State, Petroleum Resources), are, by the directive, expected to resign their ministerial positions since they have already picked up their expression of interest and nomination forms for the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Also affected are the Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen, who is running for Senate; Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, running for the governorship of Kebbi State and the Minister of State, Mines and Steel Development, Uche Ogar, who is contesting for Abia State APC governorship ticket.
At the council meeting on Wednesday, Malami, Onu and Ogar were physically present at the council meeting. Media aide to the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Jackson Udom, confirmed on Wednesday night that in deference to the directive by President Buhari, Senator Akpabio had resigned from the cabinet.
Udom said, “The Minister has resigned. He has submitted his resignation letter to the SGF. We are waiting for him at the ICC where he will submit his nomination form.”
He debunked the rumour that Akpabio had dropped his ambition, adding that, “For those behind this lies and falsehood, we advise that they should learn to live with the reality that Senator Akpabio is fully in the race, not only for the APC ticket, but to emerge as the next democratically-elected president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
It was also reported, though unconfirmed as of the time of filing this report, that the Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu, had tendered his resignation letter. I want to serve out my term, Sunday Dare says Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr Sunday Dare, said he had rejected calls for him to run for either governorship or senatorial seats, as he preferred to complete his term.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, he said, “The assignment given to me by President Muhammadu Buhari is a national and an important one for the development of our youths and sports.
“I have, in the last three years, committed to bringing about far-reaching changes in these areas. Noble initiatives and policies are about to be delivered in these sectors. “It is my desire to stand down and assist Mr President complete these and to leave a lasting legacy in the areas of youth and sports development for Nigeria.”
He added that he would also prefer to make his skills and experience available for the presidential election battle as he did in 2014 and 2015 to help the APC win the Presidency.
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