IN LINE with President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive, Minister of Niger Delta Affairs Godswill Akpabio has resigned to pursue his presidential bid.
There were also reports that minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Ogbonnaya Onu also resigned from the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday.
The President had ordered all cabinet members vying for elective offices to quit before May 16.
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Akpabio’s Personal Assistant on Media, Jackson Udom, confirmed the minister’s resignation.
“The minister has resigned. He has submitted his resignation letter to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF). We are waiting for him at the International Conference Centre (ICC) where he is coming to submit his nomination form,” Udom said.
It was gathered that Onu visited he Office of the SGF to drop his resignation letter.
The ICIR had earlier reported the resignation of the Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, from the president’s cabinet.
Nwajiuba was the first minister to relinquish office among eight cabinet members seeking elective offices in the 2023 general elections.
Other ministers seeking elective offices who might also be resigning are Rotimi Amaechi (Transportation), Chris Ngige (Labour and Employment), Godswill Akpabio (Niger Delta Affairs), Ogbonnaya Onu (Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation), Abubakar Malami (Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation). They are pursuing their ambitions on the APC’s platform.
Also, the Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen, is contesting a senatorial seat in Plateau State, while the Minister of State for Mines and Steel Uche Ogah hopes to become the next governor of Abia State.
'Niyi worked with The ICIR as an Investigative Reporter and Fact-checker from 2020 till September 2022. You can shoot him an email via [email protected]. You can as well follow him on Twitter via @niyi_oyedeji.