2023: Onu, Akpabio , Nwajiuba  drop resignation letters following Buhari order

 

 Two  cabinet ministers  and minister of state  have resigned their appointments in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive.

The ministers are Minister of science, technology Ogbonnaya Onu , Niger Delta Affairs Minister Senator Godswill Akpabio and Minister of State  for Education  Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba

Recall that President Muhammadu Buhrai at Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting ordered all his cabinet members vying for elective offices to resign before May 16

Tolu Ogunlesi, an aide to the president, disclosed this in a tweet on Wednesday.

Onu, has followed the directive of  President Muhammadu Buhari which asked that all members of his cabinet and appointees vying for electoral offices resign on or before May 16, 2022.

The order which came on Wednesday was announced during the Federal Executive Council meeting presided over by the President at the Council Chambers of the State House, Abuja.

However, highly reliable sources within the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Ministry of science and technology confirmed that the minister had indeed dropped his resignation.

“The minister was at the office of the SGF to drop his resignation. That was expected seeing as the president asked that they all should resign”, one source said.

Personal Assistant to  Akpabio  on Media, Jackson Udom, confirmed the resignation in a chat with The Nation Wednesday.

Akpabio’s aide said: “the Minister has resigned. He has submitted his resignation letter to the SGF. We are waiting for him at the ICC, where he is coming to submit his nomination form”.

His resignation was said to have been announced at the federal executive council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday.

Nwajiuba had, on April 27, announced his intention to run for president in the 2023 general election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC)

According to a source in the ministry, Nwajiuba had tendered his resignation since April 28 after announcing his intention to contest the presidency.

“He actually resigned effective April 28th after accepting to run,” the source told TheCable.

“The president approved his resignation upon resumption from the Eid break on May 3rd and then travelled out.

“Nwajiuba left the announcement for the president to do as protocol demands. The president announced that resignation today at FEC before giving the order.”

Earlier on Wednesday, the president had directed all ministers in his cabinet, who are interested in contesting in the 2023 elections, to resign.

The president’s directive came amid controversy over section 84(12) of the Electoral Act 2022, which has now become a court matter.

The aforementioned section states: “No political appointee at any level shall be a voting delegate or be voted for at the convention or congress of any political party for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for any election.”

Ministers seeking elective positions in the current administration include Abubakar Malami, minister of justice and attorney-general of the federation; Chris Ngige, minister of labour; and Rotimi Amaechi, minister of transportation.

While Malami is seeking to become governor of Kebbi, Amaechi and Ngige have announced their intentions to contest the presidency.