President Muhammadu Buhari


Barring any last change of mind, ministers who backed down from their much touted political ambitions on the All Progressives Congress (APC) platform may not return as members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

Similarly, some others who just dropped their resignation following President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive that they quit latest Monday (yesterday), may have also lost out to the party guidelines which gives 30 clear days for resignation before the party primaries.

Following Buhari’s directive, Minister of Labour and Employment Chris Ngige, Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Abubaka Malami, SAN, Minister of Women Affairs Dame Paulen Tallen and Minister of State Petroleum Timpre Sylva, all made a U-turn on their various political ambitions.While Malami and Tallen were eyeing governorship and senatorial ambitions in Kebbi and Plateau states respectively, Ngige and Sylva aspired to be president, all on the APC platform.

The U-turn

At different times, the ministers said they were dropping their ambitions to continue in office, a decision Blueprint gathered, may not work out.

A top presidency source told this medium that “It is all over for them after the president hosted all the ministers seeking one elective office or the other to a valedictory session. As at Friday, the president has said and declared there is no going back. The ministers are gone for good and won’t continue in office.”

“Besides, the president doesn’t want to be seen as condoning impunity from cabinet members. It is surprising that they could announce their withdrawal from the race all because the president asked them to resign. The thinking out there was that they would contest for the various positions as sitting ministers. Neither the party’s guideline nor the Electoral Act allows for that,” said another source familiar with the development.  

Blueprint further gathered that “a governor is already working on a replacement for his minister who is affected under this arrangement.” 

On 30-day notice of resignation

On the fate of Minister of Transport Rotimi Amaechi;  Minister of Niger Delta Affairs Godswill Akpabio, and Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology Ogbonnaya  Onu who reigned their appointments after the presidential order, the party’s guidelines may have shut them out.

They resigned about two weeks to the party primaries, a decision that clearly negates the party guidelines.

Section 3(i) of the APC’s guidelines for the conduct of primaries states: “No political appointee at any level shall be a voting delegate or be voted for the purpose of the nomination of candidates.

“Any political office holder interested in contesting for an elective office shall leave Office 30 days prior to the date of election or party primary for the office sought.”

Party sources told Blueprint that the clause as well as the controversial Section 84(12) of Electoral Act 2022 which also makes it mandatory for elective office seeker to resign 30 days before primaries, may have forced the aspirants to back out.

Of the ministers with presidential aspiration, only Emeka Nwajiuba complied with both the party guidelines and provision of the Electoral Act.

He was said to have resigned 28th April, exactly 30 days to the May 28/30 date for the party’s primaries.

However, some of the appointees seeking elective offices  did not beat the 30-day deadline but remained in their offices.

Electoral Act 2022

Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act has similar provision which the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) may wield to apply the sledge hammer on defaulting aspirants, depending on the outcome of the litigation which has crossed the appellate court and now awaits the Supreme Court’s decision. 

credit: Blueprint