The decision by some former ministers of President Bola Tinubu to resign from the Federal Executive Council in pursuit of elective offices ahead of the 2027 general elections appears 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 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.
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.
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.
Alkali had earlier boycotted the primaries over alleged lack of fairness, inclusivity, and credibility.
He also alleged that the exercise lacked the basic hallmarks of a credible democratic process.
While Adelabu and Alkali have lost out in their political bids, the fate of Tuggar hangs in the balance.
His supporters threatened to leave the APC if the party imposed a governorship candidate.
The supporters made their position known on Friday amid speculations that former Bauchi State governor, Muhammad Abubakar, may emerge as the party’s consensus candidate.
Speaking with Saturday PUNCH, the Director of Media, Tuggar Foundation, Ibrahim Malam, said members of the movement would not remain in a party where internal democracy was allegedly being undermined.
According to him, the position being canvassed was that of members of the movement and not that of Tuggar himself.
“Regarding this narration of somebody becoming the APC flag bearer who is not competent, somebody who lost an election, we can’t remain in the party where democracy is not practised.
“I’m saying this on behalf of my team, not on behalf of the former minister Yusuf Tuggar. But this is our collective mind with the people coordinating his social media. We cannot support a party where democracy is not being practised,” he said.
Also speaking, a pharmacist and social media influencer, Bello Adamu, popularly known as Elder Karofi, rejected what he described as an attempt to impose a candidate on party members.
Adamu alleged that the reported consensus arrangement in favour of Abubakar amounted to injustice and warned that many supporters of Tuggar might refuse to support the APC if the decision stood.
“We reject this imposition and I don’t think any one of us is going to support anybody if that happens,” he stated.
He further disclosed that consultations were ongoing among supporters on the next political step to take, including the possibility of defecting from the APC to another political party.
Adamu also criticised the former governor’s record in office, insisting that Tuggar remained a more competent option among the aspirants seeking the APC governorship ticket in the state.
Alkali not leaving APC
Speaking with Saturday PUNCH, Umar Alkali, the media aide to ex-minister Alkali, clarified that his principal did not withdraw from the governorship race but merely boycotted the APC primary process.
He said, “He (Alkali) is still in the race; he only boycotted the primaries. Given what happened during the previous House of Representatives and Senatorial primaries, after consultations, he deemed it fit to boycott the exercise.”
Alkali explained that many people misunderstood the situation and wrongly concluded that the former minister had withdrawn from the contest.
“He is not withdrawing from the governorship race. This is what most people misunderstood. He is still in the race; he only boycotted the process,” he added.
He also dismissed speculation that the former minister was planning to leave the ruling party, saying “No, he (Alkali) is not quitting the party. He is still in the APC.”
The aide further stated that Alkali remained loyal to the leadership of the APC and the Tinubu-led administration.
Meanwhile, Adelabu has dismissed the outcome of the primary election.
Speaking with Saturday PUNCH through his media aide, Femi Awogboro, the former minister said he was unaware of any officially declared result.
“I don’t know what you are talking about. We don’t know of any result because we have not seen any result. The result has not been announced by anybody,” Awogboro said.
Asked whether Adelabu would challenge the outcome of the election or consider leaving the party, Awogboro said, “I won’t be able to say anything as regards that,” he added.
