Senior Special Assistant on Citizenship and Leadership to the President, Nasir Bala Aminu, yesterday resigned his appointment to enable him seek nomination for the 2027 election into the House of Representatives.

His resignation is in compliance with the March 17, 2026 memo from the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF),Senator George Akume, in which he advised all political appointees in the Tinubu administration who intend to contest elective offices in the forthcoming 2027 general elections to resign their appointments on or before March 31.

Aminu, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) intends to represent Tarauni Constituency of Kano State in the Green Chambers of the federal legislature.

In his resignation letter, Ja’oji, as he is popularly called, expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for giving him the opportunity to serve the country.

He hailed the president for his “keen interest in youth development.”

Aminu described youth development as one of the cardinal principles of the administration and a morale booster for them.

He pledged his readiness to continue to serve Nigeria at any time President Tinubu deems it fit.

He was confident that “many of the good policies and programmes of the administration” would bear more fruits when Tinubu is reelected next year.

A former Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Rauf Olaniyan, had earlier resigned as Chairman of the Governing Council of the Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo,to pursue his governorship aspiration in the state.

Olaniyan said it was a great privilege given for him to serve in the position thereby contributing “ within my modest ability, to the growth and development of the institution during my tenure.”

He was grateful for the “confidence reposed in me through this appointment.”

Olaniyan served as deputy governor during Governor Seyi Makinde’s first term.

He was removed and replaced with Mr. Bayo Lawal.

With 48 hours to the expiration of the deadline, it is not immediately clear how many more appointees will be turning in their resignation to seek elective offices.

Reports from our correspondents in many of the states yesterday suggested anxiety in the polity.

Many of those freely mentioned as aspirants for elective offices are yet to resign and are keeping mum on their speculated aspirations.

In Ondo State, no fewer than nine political appointees are said to be eyeing one elective office or the other.

She was until now Secretary to Akure South Local Government. She plans to seek APC’s ticket for Akure South Constituency into the State House of Assembly.

Sources told our correspondent in Akure that others are yet to resign but have intensified grassroots consultations with campaign posters and banners already circulating across their constituencies.

Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ebenezer Adeniyan, said he was unaware of any resignations within the cabinet, stressing that no directive had been issued by the state government beyond the President’s instruction.

“I’m not aware of anyone who has resigned. Don’t forget there is no directive from the state government apart from that of the President,” Mr Adeniyan told The Nation.

Abia State Governor Alex Otti is yet to formally make any such demand on political appointees in the state, but it was understood that he would do so soon.

Ambitious political appointees in Plateau State are said to be waiting for the appropriate signal or time to quit.

The office of the Secretary to the Government of Plateau State confirmed that no such appointee has resigned so far, but one of such people told The Nation in Jos that it is a matter of time before they take the appropriate action.

The source, who does not want his name in print said: ”Our governor told us sometime ago that if any of us has intention to contest election in 2027, such appointee should tender his or her resignation first.

“He was only reminding us of the provisions of the Electoral Acts and those of INEC. But none of us has resigned as at today. It Is not late either.We know the electoral time table, we know the provisions of the Electoral Act, and we will take such action at the appropriate time.”

The source added: “Resigning from a political office to contest for another office is a process.

“It requires wide consultations with relevant stakeholders and mobilisation of resources. Electioneering is an expensive venture that requires serious planning. That is why we are cautious to avoid making mistakes or crash-landing after taking off.”

Gov Caleb Mutfwang has about 75 political appointees comprising 20 commissioners and over 50 Special Advisers, Special Assistants and Liaison Officers.

No political appointee in Kogi has also resigned so far.

But it was gathered that the picture will get clearer now that the APC National Convention is over.

The SGF in his memo on the deadline for the resignation of political appointees seeking elective offices had said the directive was pursuant to the provisions of Section 88(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026, as well as the timetable issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for party primaries ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He said the resignation requirement applies to all categories of presidential political appointees who wish to participate in the forthcoming party primaries or seek nomination for any elective office, which include the following: Honourable Ministers, Honourable Ministers of State, Special Advisers to the President, Senior Special Assistants to the President, Special Assistants the President, Personal Assistants to the President, All Directors-General, and Chief Executive Officers of Federal Government Parastatals, Agencies, Commissions, and Government-owned Companies, as well as all Other Political Appointees of the President.

“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,” he said. (The Nation)

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