MINISTER of State for Petroleum Timipre Sylva has withdrawn from the presidential race.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Sylva‘s withdrawal was disclosed by a source in the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.
The minister’s Senior Special Assistant on Media Horatius Egua also, reportedly, confirmed the development.
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A Northern Solidarity Group had on May 9 presented the N100 million APC expression of interest and nomination forms to the minister to enable him contest the party’s 2023 presidential primaries.
The ICIR had reported that President Muhammadu Buhari directed members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) seeking elective offices in the 2023 general elections to quit his cabinet on or before May 16.
A valedictory session was held for ministers who were seeking elective positions on May 13.
However, a few hours after the valedictory session, the minister of labour and employment Chris Ngige said he had withdrawn from the presidential race and would remain in office as minister.
There were also reports that the Attorney-General of the Federation Abubakar Malami and the Central Bank Governor Godwin Emefiele also withdrew from the 2023 elections.
The minister of women affairs Pauline Tallen, who had earlier purchased the APC form to contest the Plateau South Senatorial election also withdrew from the race on Monday.
'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.