One of President Muhammadu Buhari Ministers eyeing the presidential seat in the 20023 general elections, Emeka Nwajiuba has tendered his resignation.
Nwajiuba, the Minister of State for Education’s resignation is coming barely two hours after President Buhari directed all cabinet members interested in contesting the 2023 general elections quit his government.
His resignation which was announced during the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Wednesday stated that he quit the cabinet to focus on his presidential ambition.
Nwajiuba is among the six ministers who have obtained the N100 million presidential forms of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the party’s primaries slated for the end of this month.
In an apparent move to avoid litigations that might jeopardize the chances of APC candidates in the forthcoming elections, Buhari had directed that all members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) running for elective offices should submit their letters of resignation on or before Monday the 16th of May, 2022.
While the FEC meeting lasted, Buhari had singled out Nwajiuba for braving the odds to quit to avoid conflict of interest, and said: “I expect other members of this council seeking to be President to resign with immediate effect”
Other ministers expected to follow suit include Ministers of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; Niger Delta, Godswill Akpabio; Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige; Science, Technology and Innovation, Ogbonnaya, who have all joined the presidential race on the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC).
Others are Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, who is seeking to contest the governorship position in Kebbi State, Minister of State, Mines and Steel, Uche Ogar, who is running for the governorship position in Abia State, and the Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen, who declared her ambition to contest for Senatorial seat in Plateau State.
The directive may not be unconnected with the Appeal Court ruling which set aside an earlier judgement against Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act 2022.
