There are strong indications that members of the Federal Executive Council who have declared their intention to contest the 2023 presidential election may appear before the All Progressives Congress screening committee with copies of their letters of resignation and acknowledgement.
Party sources stated that this might form part of the additional stipulations the aspirants were expected to comply with.
The development was sequel to the directive by President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Wednesday, that all members of his cabinet vying for elective offices must step down on or Monday.
Buhari on Wednesday finally bowed to pressure when he called the ministers to resign following persistent calls by eminent lawyers and other Nigerians, who argued that their continued stay in office amounted to a conflict of interest.
The order came at the end of the Federal Executive Council meeting which he presided over at the Council Chambers of the State House, Abuja. The Minister of information, Lai Mohammed, who disclosed the presidential directive to the cabinet members shortly after the FEC meeting, however, said he could not speak on the fate of other political appointees who were also vying for positions but were non-cabinet members.
Magic fm gathered that Buhari’s directive came after he received the resignation letter of the Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, who had tendered it on Tuesday. Buhari was said to have commended Nwajiuba and asked other cabinet members to follow suit and resign immediately.
However, the immediate resignation order was modified to Monday by the Information Minister who met the President privately to clarify the deadline.
Cabinet members affected include the Ministers of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; Niger Delta, Godswill Akpabio; Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige.
Others include the Minister of State Mines and Steel, Uche Ogar, who is contesting for the Abia State APC governorship ticket, and the Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen, who declared her intention to contest for the senatorial seat in Plateau State.Also affected is the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, SAN, who is running for the governorship of Kebbi State.
Announcing Buhari’s directive, Mohammed said, “The mandate I have from the President is to announce that all members of the Federal Executive Council contesting for elective office must resign their ministerial cabinet appointments on or before Monday, May 16, 2022.”
When asked if the directive affected the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, who is vying for the Presidency, the Information Minister, said “the Vice President was elected, he was not appointed.”
On the fate of other political appointees, non-cabinet members who are also contesting but have not resigned, Mohammed said the directive might be extended to them.
He explained, “As of this moment, the mandate I have is for members of the Federal Executive Council. Subsequently, it might affect other political appointees but that will be made known.
“If there is going to be any amendment or any inclusion, you will be informed in due course,” he said.
SGF to issue circular on Emefiele, other appointees
Nonetheless, a top source within the presidency revealed that a circular might be issued within the next 24 hours from the Office of the Secretary to Government of the Federation, directing all other political appointees in the various electoral races to resign.
At the time of Buhari’s announcement, only Malami, Onu and Ogar were the affected ministers contesting for electoral offices physically present at the council meeting while the rest joined virtually.
A few hours after the directive, the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Ogbonnaya Onu, and Godswill Akpabio (Niger Delta) tendered their resignation letters to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha.
Onu, who on May 6 declared for the presidency under the ruling party, was said to have visited the SGF office where he dropped his letter around 5 pm. The Niger Delta minister, in a statement by his media aide, Jackson Udom, stated, “Our attention has been drawn to mischievously written news stories making the rounds by paid agents of some politicians, that the leading presidential aspirant, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has purportedly withdrawn from the presidential race. This is a joke carried too far.
“This is certainly the handiwork of those who are scared of contesting against Senator Godswill Akpabio.
“Senator Akpabio has resigned his appointment as Minister, Niger Delta Affairs Ministry and will soon submit his nomination form at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, in line with his party’s guidelines”, the statement by Udom said.
On his part, the media aide to the AGF, Jibrilu Gwandu, kept mum on the resignation plans of his principal, when contacted.