Top FG Official Resigns from Tinubu’s Cabinet

A former Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Rauf Olaniyan, has resigned from his position as Chairman of the Governing Council of the Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo, to pursue his governorship ambition ahead of the 2027 elections.

Mr Olaniyan said his decision followed the directive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu requiring political appointees with aspirations for the 2027 general elections to step down from office on or before 31 March 2026.

In a resignation letter dated 23 March and addressed to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Olaniyan stated that he was leaving office to enable him contest for the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship ticket in Oyo State.

He described his appointment as a privilege and expressed appreciation to the President for the opportunity to serve, noting that he contributed to the growth and development of the institution during his tenure.

Olaniyan also thanked the management, staff and students of the college for their cooperation while he was in office.

The former deputy governor served under Seyi Makinde during his first term before he was impeached by the Oyo State House of Assembly.

He later defected to the APC.

His resignation is seen as part of early political alignments ahead of the 2027 elections, as aspirants position themselves for party primaries.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, may resign from his position by March 31, 2026, amid plans to contest the Oyo State governorship election in 2027, as reported by SaharaReporters.

SaharaReporters learnt from one of the minister’s aides that his principal is keen on securing the All Progressives Congress ticket.

Multiple sources familiar with the development said Adelabu is keen on entering the race and may step down in compliance with a directive issued by President Bola Tinubu requiring political appointees with electoral ambitions to resign.

“His interest in securing the Oyo state governorship ticket for his party is strong,” the source told SaharaReporters.

It was further gathered that the minister is waiting for the deadline set by the President, as he remains determined to clinch the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship ticket.

Adelabu previously contested the APC governorship primaries in May 2022, held at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium in Ibadan, where Teslim Folarin secured 954 votes to defeat him, while Adelabu polled 327 votes.

However, insiders believe the minister is more confident of his chances this time, reinforcing his resolve to re-enter the race.

Adelabu’s tenure as Minister of Power has been filled with lamentations of poor power supply and perpetual collapse of the country’s national grid.

On Tuesday, Adelabu had said the worsening epileptic electricity supply across the country was due to factors beyond the control of the Federal Government, assuring Nigerians that efforts are ongoing to restore stable power in the coming weeks.

In a statement addressing the hardship experienced by Nigerians amidst intense dry-season heat and productivity losses, the Minister admitted that the administration had deviated from the “positive trajectory” recorded in 2025.

Earlier, SaharaReporters reported that President Bola Tinubu directed all political appointees in his administration who intend to contest the 2027 general elections to resign on or before March 31.

The directive was disclosed last Tuesday in a statement issued by the Head of Information and Public Relations at the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), Dewan Goshit.

The move is seen as a preemptive step to enforce political neutrality within government and to prevent the use of public office for electoral advantage ahead of the 2027 polls.

The development also comes amid recent adjustments to Nigeria’s electoral timetable by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which has scheduled the presidential and National Assembly elections for January 16, 2027.

Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections are slated for February 6, 2027.