Abuja, March 2026 — President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed all political appointees under his administration seeking to contest in the 2027 general elections to resign their positions on or before March 31, 2026.
The directive affects a wide range of officeholders, including ministers, ministers of state, special advisers, senior special assistants, special assistants, personal assistants, as well as directors-general and chief executive officers of federal government agencies, commissions, parastatals and government-owned companies.
The order was conveyed in a circular issued by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, which stated that the move is in compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026.
Specifically, the directive aligns with Section 88(1) of the law, which requires political appointees to step down before participating in party primaries. It also follows the timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for political parties’ primaries ahead of the 2027 polls.
The development is seen as part of efforts to ensure a level playing field and prevent the use of public office to gain undue advantage during the electoral process.
