Nigeria: Akpabio, Another Minister In President Buhari's Cabinet Resigns, Less Than 24hours After Ultimatum

By Emmanuel Nduka

Less that 24 hours after President Muhammadu Buhari’s marching order, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Sen. Godswill Akpabio has become the second cabinet member to resign his appointment in pursuit of his presidential ambition in 2023.

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In the aftermath of the Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, Buhari had ordered all cabinet members eyeing elective offices to quit before May 16.

His resignation comes hours after the Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba became the first cabinet member to resign his current appointment.

Disclosing Akpabio’s resignation in a statement made available on Wednesday night, Cheif Press Secretary to the Minister on Media, Jackson Udom, confirmed that: “the Minister has resigned. He has submitted his resignation letter to the SGF. We are waiting for him at the ICC, where he is coming to submit his nomination form”.

The statement strongly debunked rumours that Akpabio has withdrawn from the 2023 presidential race, adding that “he will soon submit his nomination form at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, in line with his party’s guidelines”.

“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by paid agents of some politicians, that the leading presidential aspirant, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has purportedly withdrawn from the presidential race.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 this 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 statement added.