By Our Correspondent
National News – The Minister of Transportation, Senator Saidu Alkali, officially resigned from President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet on Tuesday evening, ahead of the March 31 deadline for political appointees seeking elective positions.
Alkali, a former senator representing Gombe Central, confirmed his decision after meeting the President at the Presidential Villa.
He expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve and highlighted his contributions to advancing Nigeria’s transportation sector.
The resignation was accepted by President Tinubu, who commended Alkali’s efforts toward national development.
Alkali is expected to contest the Gombe State governorship in the 2027 elections, aiming to succeed Governor Inuwa Yahaya.
Despite several ministers being tipped to resign, most chose to retain their positions.
The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, dismissed reports of his resignation as “fake news,” emphasizing his current focus on the power sector.
Other ministers, including the Minister of Communications, Bosun Tijani, and the Minister of Agriculture, Abubakar Kyari, also remained in office despite speculation about political ambitions.
The resignations follow a directive issued by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, requiring all political appointees with electoral plans to vacate their posts before participating in primaries, in line with Section 88(1) of the Electoral Act 2026.
The Independent National Electoral Commission scheduled party primaries between April 23 and May 30, 2026, with candidate submissions due in July and August.
Lower-ranking officials and heads of government agencies also complied with the directive, including Nasiru Gawuna of the Federal Mortgage Bank and Abdulrazak Namdas of the Niger Delta Development Commission.
Adelabu, who declared interest in the Oyo State governorship last year, stated publicly that his priority remains the power ministry.
Political analysts suggest that consensus arrangements within the APC influenced the decision of several ministers to remain in office while testing political popularity on the ground.
