Ahead of the 2027 general elections, the decision by some former ministers of President Bola Tinubu to resign from the Federal Executive Council (FEC) to pursue elective offices seems to be yielding mixed fortunes, with only two securing party tickets so far.
Five former cabinet members stepped down from their positions after the Presidency directed political appointees seeking elective offices to resign before participating in party primaries.
Their resignation was in line with the Electoral Act 2026.
Among those affected were former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, who resigned to contest for the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship ticket in Bauchi State; and former Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs, Yusuf Sununu, who resigned to pursue Kebbi senatorial ticket.
Others are former Minister of Transportation, Saidu Alkali, who resigned to contest Gombe governorship ticket; former Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, pursuing House of Representatives ticket in Abia State; and former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, who resigned to contest the Oyo governorship primaries.
Of the five, only Onyejeocha and Sununu have secured their tickets.
While Onyejeocha clinched the APC ticket for Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency in Abia after emerging as an unopposed candidate; Sununu also secured the APC ticket for Yauri/Shanga/Ngaski Federal Constituency after withdrawing from the Kebbi South senatorial race.
Adelabu, Alkali lose out, Tuggar’s fate hangs
Adelabu, who resigned after the deadline set by the President, had hoped to secure the party’s governorship ticket in Oyo State ahead of the 2027 elections.
The former minister was, however, defeated in the contest by Senator Sarafadeen Alli.
Alli polled 578,143 votes to defeat Adelabu, who got 19,193 votes.
Following the outcome of the exercise, Adelabu alleged manipulation in the primary process, insisting that the election did not reflect the true wishes of party members.
He vowed to challenge the outcome of the election, adding that his team was preparing to petition the party leadership at the national level.
Speaking to journalists during the exercise, the ex-minister said, “In some wards, our people were prevented from voting; they were intimidated, they were chased away violently. And in some wards, voting did not take place at all, but they recorded numbers for them.
“All these kinds of misconduct are not good at this stage of our democracy in Nigeria and something has to be done about it. We are going to write serious petitions against all these things that took place.”
Similarly, former transport minister Alkali failed to secure the APC governorship ticket in Gombe State after boycotting the primary process over alleged irregularities, lack of fairness, inclusivity, and credibility.
He also alleged that the exercise lacked the basic hallmarks of a credible democratic process.
Alkali lost to Jamilu Gwamna, who is backed by the incumbent, Governor Inuwa Yahaya.
Gwamna emerged winner of the primary after polling 247,161 votes to defeat Alkali, who polled 11, 612 votes and the former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Pantami, who scored 12,120 votes.
While Adelabu and Alkali have lost out in their political bids, the fate of Tuggar hangs in the balance.
Spokesmen and supporters of Adelabu, Tuggar, Alkali, in separate interviews gave conflicting responses to whether their principals would quit the APC, challenged the process that led to their preferred choices losses or accept their fates and back the emerged candidates.
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