Some former members of President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet seem to have made bold political calculations ahead of the 2027 general elections but for some it is a risky gamble.
Some ministers had resigned from the Federal Executive Council after a directive from the Presidency directing political appointees with aspirations for elective offices to resign before participating in the All Progressives Congress primaries.
But some of the former ministers have now lost their cabinet posts as well as their bids to secure party tickets.
So far only two of the five former ministers who resigned have been given APC tickets.
They are former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu; former Minister of Transportation, Saidu Alkali; former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar; former Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha; and former Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs, Yusuf Sununu.
Onyejeocha and Sununu won the APC tickets in Abia and Kebbi states respectively, while Adelabu, Alkali and Tuggar lost their bids or have an uncertain political future.
Adelabu drops out of Oyo ticket
Adelabu resigned as Minister of Power to contest for the APC governorship ticket in Oyo State.
However, he was defeated in the primary election by Senator Sarafadeen Alli.
Adelabu scored 19,193 votes while Alli scored 578,143 votes.
Adelabu had earlier dismissed reports that President Tinubu was supporting Alli ahead of the primary.
“Anyone who claims they met with the president and that he endorsed someone is a liar,” he said.
The former minister said he delayed his resignation from the cabinet to meet the President, adding that Tinubu encouraged him to pursue his governorship ambition.
‘Bayo,’ he said to me, ‘it is time. It’s a time-honoured ambition. You might not be stopped. “Go and resign and start work,” Adelabu said.
“If the president was going to back anybody, it would be me,” he said.
Adelabu lost the primary and rejected the outcome, alleging widespread irregularities, intimidation and manipulation during the exercise.
Alkali Places Third In Gombe
Former Minister of Transportation, Saidu Alkali, also resigned to contest for the APC governorship ticket in Gombe State.
He lost the primary to Jamilu Gwamna, who was said to have the backing of Governor Inuwa Yahaya.
Later, Alkali refused to participate in the process, claiming it was neither fair nor credible.
He eventually came third in the primary behind former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Pantami.
Pantami polled 12,120 votes to emerge first runner-up, while Alkali got 11,612 votes.
The Chairman of the election committee, Senator Abubakar Danladi, announced the results. He said the committee received written notices of withdrawal from Pantami and Alkali.
But the withdrawal letters had been received after the electoral process had started and the candidates’ names had been printed on the ballot papers, so votes were still being cast for them, he said.
Tuggar Loses Bauchi Primary
Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar has resigned before the deadline of March 31.
On March 30, 2026, he formally submitted his letter of resignation to the Government of the Federation via the Office of the Secretary.
“Today, I formally submitted my resignation letter as Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs at the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, in accordance with the directive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR and the provisions of the Electoral Act,” he said.
“This resignation marks the end of a chapter of significant service,” Tuggar said.
“I appreciate the President for the trust and opportunity to serve under the Renewed Hope Agenda, and to contribute to advancing Nigeria’s foreign policy through the 4D Doctrine,” he said.
The former minister who represented Gamawa Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives in 2007 and later served as Nigeria’s Ambassador to Germany from 2017 to 2023 lost the Bauchi APC governorship ticket to former governor Mohammed Abubakar.
“Abubakar scored 57,517 votes while Tuggar scored 26,001 votes,” said AIG John Bassey Abang (retd.), Chairman of the APC governorship election committee in Bauchi.
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