A former Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Rauf Olaniyan, has resigned from his position as Chairman of the Governing Council of the Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo, to pursue his governorship ambition ahead of the 2027 elections.
Mr Olaniyan said his decision followed the directive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu requiring political appointees with aspirations for the 2027 general elections to step down from office on or before 31 March 2026.
In a resignation letter dated 23 March and addressed to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Olaniyan stated that he was leaving office to enable him contest for the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship ticket in Oyo State.
He described his appointment as a privilege and expressed appreciation to the President for the opportunity to serve, noting that he contributed to the growth and development of the institution during his tenure.
Olaniyan also thanked the management, staff and students of the college for their cooperation while he was in office.
The former deputy governor served under Seyi Makinde during his first term before he was impeached by the Oyo State House of Assembly.
He later defected to the APC.
His resignation is seen as part of early political alignments ahead of the 2027 elections, as aspirants position themselves for party primaries.
