2027: Tinubu’s Ministers Who Failed To Secure Tickets

Some former ministers of President Bola Tinubu who resigned from the Federal Executive Council to pursue elective offices ahead of the 2027 general elections are experiencing mixed outcomes, with only two successfully securing their party nominations so far.

Five cabinet members stepped down following the Presidency’s directive that political appointees seeking elective positions must resign before participating in party primaries, in compliance with the Electoral Act.

The group included former Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar, who resigned to contest the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship ticket in Bauchi State; former Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs Yusuf Sununu, who aimed for a Kebbi senatorial seat; former Minister of Transportation Saidu Alkali, seeking the Gombe governorship ticket; former Minister of State for Labour and Employment Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, pursuing a House of Representatives ticket in Abia State; and former Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu, who sought the Oyo governorship ticket.

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Of the five, only Onyejeocha and Sununu have so far secured their party nominations.

Onyejeocha emerged unopposed as the APC candidate for the Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency in Abia State.

Sununu clinched the APC ticket for the Yauri/Shanga/Ngaski Federal Constituency in Kebbi State after stepping down from the Kebbi South senatorial contest.

Adelabu, who resigned after the deadline set by the Presidency, suffered a heavy defeat in the Oyo State APC governorship primary, where Senator Sarafadeen Alli polled 578,143 votes compared with his 19,193 votes.

Following his loss, Adelabu alleged widespread manipulation and irregularities in the primary process and vowed to challenge the outcome at the party’s national level.

“In some wards, our people were prevented from voting; they were intimidated, they were chased away violently. And in some wards, voting did not take place at all, but they recorded numbers for them,” Adelabu told journalists.

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“All these kinds of misconduct are not good at this stage of our democracy in Nigeria and something has to be done about it. We are going to write serious petitions against all these things that took place,” he added.

Former Transportation Minister Saidu Alkali also failed to secure the APC governorship ticket in Gombe State after boycotting the primary over alleged irregularities, losing to Jamilu Gwamna, backed by Governor Inuwa Yahaya, who polled 247,161 votes compared with Alkali’s 11,612 votes and former Minister Isa Pantami’s 12,120 votes.

Alkali described the primary as lacking fairness, inclusivity, and credibility.

The political future of former Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar remains uncertain amid indications that former Bauchi State Governor Muhammad Abubakar may emerge as the APC consensus candidate.

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Supporters of Tuggar have threatened to leave the party if a candidate is imposed, warning that internal democracy is being undermined.

Speaking to Saturday PUNCH, the Director of Media for the Tuggar Foundation, Ibrahim Malam, said: “Regarding this narration of somebody becoming the APC flag bearer who is not competent, somebody who lost an election, we can’t remain in the party where democracy is not practised.”

He clarified that the statement reflected the collective view of the movement and not necessarily Tuggar’s personal position.

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