FEC members fret as Buhari orders minister aspiring for elections to resign

There were indications of palpable fret by some ministers on Wednesday as President Muhammadu Buhari ordered all ministers aspiring for the presidential ticket of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2023 elections to resign with immediate effect. The president gave the directive at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Wednesday at the State House, Abuja. The presidential directive includes ministers aspiring for other offices like governor, senate, or house of Representatives.

President Buhari, acknowledging the resignation letter of the Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba, an APC presidential aspirant, declared: “I expect other members of this council seeking to be President to resign with immediate effect.”

Several ministers aspiring for the president or governors have been hanging on in office relying on the court judgement on the controversial section 84(12) of the amended Electoral Act 2022. A high court had nullified the section of the ame4nded act, authorizing the Attorney General of Federation and Minister of Justice to delete the section from the amended election act. President Buhari had issued the resignation order in compliance with the provisions of the controversial section which prohibits ministers, commissioners and others from participating in party primaries without resigning their appointments.

FEC members who have declared for president but yet to resign include the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipreye Sylva; and the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio.

An appointed public servant still holding on to his appointment after purchasing the presidential forms of the APC, is the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele.

Also, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, is yet to resign while contesting for the governor of Kebbi State.