LA SUITE APRÈS LA PUBLICITÉ

Following a strict presidential mandate for political appointees to vacate their offices ahead of the 2027 polls, the Minister of Transportation, Senator Saidu Ahmed Alkali, has officially resigned to contest the governorship seat in Gombe State.

The Minister of Transportation, Senator Saidu Ahmed Alkali, has formally stepped down from his federal role to focus on his gubernatorial aspirations in Gombe State for the 2027 general elections.

The announcement, confirmed by his special assistant on Media and Publicity, Umar Alkali Jibril, marks a significant shift in the federal cabinet as the political season intensifies.

Alkali’s departure follows his submission of a formal resignation to the Presidency, which has been acknowledged along with appreciation for his period of service in the transport sector.

This move is in direct compliance with a directive issued by President Bola Tinubu, which mandated that all political appointees seeking elective offices must resign their positions by March 31, 2026.

The policy aims to ensure adherence to the Electoral Act, 2026, and to prevent the use of state resources for personal campaign advantages. Alkali joins a growing list of cabinet members, including Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar, who have vacated their posts to prepare for upcoming party primaries.

The timing of these resignations is critical due to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s – INEC recently revised timetable. In February 2026, INEC moved the 2027 Presidential and National Assembly elections to January 16, 2027, with the governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections now scheduled for February 6, 2027.

This accelerated schedule has placed immense pressure on aspirants to consolidate their local political structures and begin formal campaigning months earlier than previously anticipated.

As the federal administration navigates this transition, the financial and logistical scale of the upcoming elections has also come into sharp focus. INEC has projected a massive budget of N873.78 billion to conduct the 2027 general elections, a significant jump from the N314.4 billion spent in 2023.

With Alkali now entering the Gombe race, the political landscape in the Northeast is expected to become highly competitive as the nation gears up for an early and expensive electoral cycle.