Several former ministers who resigned from President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet to pursue political ambitions ahead of the 2027 general elections have suffered major setbacks after losing in the All Progressives Congress primary elections.
President Tinubu had directed ministers and political appointees seeking elective positions to resign before participating in party primaries, in line with the Electoral Act. The directive led to the resignation of several cabinet members, including former Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu, former Transportation Minister Saidu Alkali, former Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar, former Minister of State for Labour Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, and former Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs Yusuf Sununu.
While Onyejeocha and Sununu successfully secured party tickets, Adelabu, Alkali, and Tuggar failed in their respective governorship bids.
Adebayo Adelabu resigned as Minister of Power to contest the APC governorship ticket in Oyo State but suffered a crushing defeat to Senator Sarafadeen Alli. Alli secured 578,143 votes, while Adelabu managed only 19,193 votes. Following the outcome, Adelabu rejected the result, alleging intimidation, manipulation, and irregularities during the primary process. He claimed some of his supporters were prevented from voting and vowed to challenge the outcome before the party leadership.
In Gombe State, former Transportation Minister Saidu Alkali also lost his governorship ambition after being defeated by Jamilu Gwamna, who was believed to have strong backing within the state political structure. Alkali later boycotted the process, citing concerns over fairness and credibility. Despite his withdrawal, he still finished behind former Communications Minister Isa Pantami in the final results.
Former Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar also failed to clinch the APC governorship ticket in Bauchi State. Tuggar lost to former governor Mohammed Abubakar, who polled 57,517 votes against Tuggar’s 26,001 votes.
The outcomes of the primaries have sparked debates within the APC over internal democracy, transparency, and the risks associated with leaving federal appointments for political contests.
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