President Bola Tinubu has directed all political appointees under his administration seeking to contest elective offices in the 2027 elections to resign before March 31.
Dewan Goshit, head of information and public relations at the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday.
Goshit said the directive is in line with Section 88(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026, and the timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission for party primaries ahead of the 2027 polls.
Those affected include ministers, ministers of state, special advisers to the president, senior special assistants, special assistants, personal assistants, directors-general, and chief executive officers of federal government parastatals, agencies, commissions and government-owned companies, as well as other political appointees of the president.
The circular partly read, “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed all political appointees under his administration who intend to contest elective offices in the forthcoming 2027 general elections to resign their appointments on or before March 31, 2026. The directive is pursuant to the provisions of Section 88(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026, as well as the timetable issued by the INEC for party primaries ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“Accordingly, all affected officials are required to submit their formal resignation letters through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation not later than March 31, 2026. ”
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President Tinubu said the measure was necessary to ensure compliance with electoral laws, uphold transparency in the political process, and promote a level playing field for all aspirants ahead of the elections.
He also urged all concerned officials to take note of the directive and ensure strict compliance, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to strengthening democratic institutions and promoting credible electoral processes in Nigeria.
“President Tinubu emphasised that the measure is necessary to ensure full compliance with electoral laws, uphold transparency in the political process, and promote a level playing field for all aspirants ahead of the elections.
“He urged all concerned officials to take note of this directive and ensure strict compliance, reaffirming the administration’s commitment to strengthening democratic institutions and promoting credible electoral processes in Nigeria,” the circular read.
