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EKO HOT BLOG reports that President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered all members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) aspiring for elective positions in the 2023 general elections to resign on or before May 16, 2022.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, announced this on Wednesday while briefing State House correspondents on the outcome of the day’s federal cabinet meeting presided over by Buhari at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
He however pointed out that he did not have the mandate to talk on the fate of other political appointees who are also vying for elective positions but are not members of the cabinet.
Mohammed said only Vice President Yemi Osinbajo as an elected official was exempted from the presidential directive.
Buhari’s directive came on a day the Court of Appeal conditionally validated a section of the electoral law that mandates political office holders like ministers to resign before they can contest for elections or vote in party primaries.
Although the appellate court, essentially, validated the controversial Section 84 (12) of the Electoral Act 2022, it stated on Wednesday that it would have ruled otherwise if the main suit was properly brought before it.
Meanwhile, Buhari’s Special Assistant on Digital and New Media, Tolu Ogunlesi, also confirmed the President’s directive in a Twitter post.
“Just in: All members of President Buhari’s cabinet vying for public office will have to resign on or before May 16, 2022,” Ogunlesi wrote.
Cabinet members affected include Ministers of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; Niger Delta, Godswill Akpabio; Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige; Science, Technology and Innovation, Ogbonnaya Onu; Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami.
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Others include the Minister of State, Mines and Steel, Uche Ogar, who is running for the governorship position in Abia State; Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen, who declared her ambition to contest the senatorial seat in Plateau State.
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