The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, and his colleagues of the Niger Delta ministry, Senator Godswill Akpabio; and Science and Technology ministry, Ogbonnaya Onu; have all resigned from the Federal Executive Council (FEC) to focus on their presidential campaigns.
The ministers resigned hours after President Muhammadu Buhari ordered ministers who want to contest in the forthcoming elections to tender their resignations.
Buhari had announced the resignation of the Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba, during today’s FEC meeting.
Amaechi, it was gathered, tendered his resignation after the Federal Executive Council meeting, to enable him concentrate on his bid to succeed President Buhari.
Confirming Akpabio’s resignation, his Personal Assistant on Media, Jackson Udom, told newsmen that Akpabio had resigned from his position as the Niger Delta minister.
In a statement, Udom said, “Our attention has been drawn to mischievously written news stories making the rounds by paid agents of some politicians, that the leading presidential aspirant, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has purportedly withdrawn from the presidential race. This is a joke carried too far.
“This is certainly the handiwork of those who are scared of contesting against Senator Godswill Akpabio.
“Senator Akpabio has resigned his appointment as Minister, Niger Delta Affairs Ministry and will soon submit his nomination form at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, in line with his party’s guidelines.
“For those behind these lies and falsehood, we advise that they should learn to live with the reality that Senator Akpabio is fully in the race, not only for the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket, but to emerge the next democratically elected President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
The cabinet members who are seeking elective offices are Ministers of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige; Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu; Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva.
Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has equally declared to contest the APC governorship ticket in Kebbi State.
