The Minister of Transportation, Senator Saidu Alkali, has resigned from the cabinet of President Bola Tinubu, just hours before the March 31, 2026 deadline set for political appointees with electoral ambitions.
His resignation was confirmed on Tuesday evening by the State House media office. It followed a meeting with the President at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Alkali, who is from Gombe State, is expected to contest the governorship election in 2027. He is aiming to succeed the current governor, Inuwa Yahaya, whose tenure will end in May of that year.
His decision aligns with a directive issued earlier in March by the Presidency, requiring all political appointees seeking elective office to step down on or before March 31. The order was based on the provisions of Section 88(1) of the Electoral Act 2026, which mandates that public office holders must resign before participating in party primaries.
The rule is intended to ensure fairness in the electoral process by preventing the use of government resources to gain political advantage.
The directive affects a wide range of officials, including ministers, advisers, heads of agencies, and other senior appointees. With party primaries scheduled between April and May 2026, compliance with the order has become necessary for those planning to run.
Alkali now becomes one of the ministers to exit the cabinet in preparation for the 2027 elections, as political realignments gradually gather momentum across the country.
