Tuggar Steps Down As Foreign Minister, Eyes Bauchi Governorship Race

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, has resigned from the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, paving the way for an expected bid in Bauchi State’s 2027 governorship election.

LEADERSHIP gathered that Tuggar submitted his resignation letter on Monday around noon, complying with a presidential directive requiring political appointees seeking elective office to step down ahead of the March 31, 2026 deadline.

Sources familiar with the development said the move is strategic, positioning the former minister to contest under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“Tuggar submitted his resignation letter to the president shortly after noon. He is set to contest the Bauchi governorship election in 2027,” a source said.

His anticipated entry is expected to recalibrate political dynamics in Bauchi State, where competition for the governorship seat is already intensifying among key contenders.

Tuggar’s exit comes amid a broader wave of expected resignations within President Tinubu’s cabinet, following a directive issued earlier in March.

The order, communicated through the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, mandates all political appointees with electoral ambitions to resign on or before March 31, 2026.

The directive aligns with Section 88(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026, as well as the timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for party primaries ahead of the 2027 general elections.

It applies to a broad category of officials, including ministers, ministers of state, special advisers, senior special assistants, special assistants, personal assistants, directors-general, and chief executives of federal agencies and parastatals.

Tuggar’s governorship ambition is expected to heighten competition within the APC in Bauchi, where multiple aspirants are already positioning for the party’s ticket.

A source in the state said his profile as a serving minister and career diplomat could offer a strategic advantage, particularly in national visibility and political network.

With less than 24 hours to the presidency’s deadline, further resignations are anticipated as appointees align with the requirements to participate in the electoral cycle.