At least seven of President Bola Tinubu’s ministers are expected to resign before a 31st March deadline, as political ambition begins to thin the ranks of his administration ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The departures follow a directive from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation requiring all presidential political appointees seeking to contest party primaries or elective office to submit formal resignation letters by the month’s end, in line with Section 88(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026. For several cabinet members, the directive has merely formalised what had long been an open secret.
Adebayo Adelabu — Power
Of all the ministers expected to go, Adelabu’s departure may be the least surprising. The Oyo-born politician has pursued his state’s governorship with a persistence that two consecutive losses to Governor Seyi Makinde — in 2019 on the APC ticket and in 2023 on the Accord Party platform — have done little to diminish. He rejoined the APC in December 2023 and has spent much of his ministerial tenure laying political groundwork back home. In October, he made his intentions explicit, telling supporters in Yoruba: “It’s Adelabu time” — a deliberate echo of the president’s own campaign language. He is widely regarded as the leading APC contender for Makinde’s seat.
Bosun Tijani — Communications
Tijani has yet to declare for the Ogun State governorship formally, but reports suggest his movements indicate the declaration is a matter of when, not whether. Since his appointment, he has channelled ICT investments into institutions across the state, a pattern his associates describe as deliberate political groundwork rather than ministerial routine. Behind the scenes, he has been consulting stakeholders and building alliances, quietly assembling the machinery of a campaign.
Saidu Alkali — Transportation
The former three-term senator has been working steadily from Abuja to position himself for the APC governorship ticket in Gombe, and by most accounts, he is doing so with considerable support behind him. He is said to enjoy the backing of Vice President Kashim Shettima, the First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu, and the Minister of Solid Minerals, Dele Alake — a formidable coalition within the president’s inner circle. A close aide confirmed that Alkali has already begun preparing his handover notes, suggesting his exit is imminent.
Muhammad Ali Pate — Health
Pate’s ambition in Bauchi is not new. He has contested the state’s governorship three times — in 2015, 2019, and 2023 — and those who know him say a fourth attempt was always in the plans. His posters have resurfaced across the state, and pressure groups have been campaigning loudly on his behalf. A close associate, Dr Jaafar Ibrahim Dass, confirmed his intention to run, though he noted that Pate would first seek the president’s blessing before leaving cabinet, “as a mark of respect to the one who gave him the appointment.”
Yusuf Maitama Tuggar — Foreign Affairs
Pate, however, is not the only minister with his eye on Bauchi’s Government House. The Foreign Affairs minister has been running what amounts to a parallel campaign in the same state, with his billboards occupying strategic locations for well over a year. Tuggar lost the APC gubernatorial primaries in 2015 and was subsequently appointed to an ambassadorial post. Since his return to the political stage, his Tuggar Foundation has been conspicuously active in humanitarian work across Bauchi — an investment in goodwill that few observers read as purely philanthropic.
Abubakar Kyari — Agriculture
In Borno, the Agriculture minister is widely expected to mount a challenge for the governorship currently held by Governor Babagana Zulum. Kyari served as a senator representing Borno North from 2015 until 2022 and has been a long-time political associate of Vice President Shettima. He stepped aside for a consensus candidate in 2019, but those close to him say that accommodation will not be repeated. Political analysts in the state regard him as a leading contender, and sources suggest he may be among the very first ministers to formally submit his resignation.
Bernard Doro — Humanitarian Affairs
Doro’s situation is perhaps the most delicate of the seven. The minister, who hails from Bassa LGA, is reported to be seeking the Plateau North senatorial seat — a constituency in which the Berom ethnic group forms the majority and where party elders have been pressing for a Berom candidate. Sources say Doro is pushing ahead regardless, while the government quietly works to broker a gentleman’s agreement that would accommodate all interests. Whether that arrangement holds before the 31st March deadline remains to be seen.
Credit: Business Day
