Another member of President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet has stepped down, as Minister of State for Health, Dr. Yusuf Sununu, formally resigned to pursue a senatorial bid in Kebbi State.
Sununu is seeking to represent Kebbi Central Senatorial District ahead of the 2027 general elections, complying with the Federal Government’s directive mandating political appointees to vacate their positions before participating in party primaries.
Before his ministerial appointment in August 2023, Sununu represented the Yauri/Shanga/Ngaski Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, where he served as Chairman of the Committee on Healthcare Services.
His resignation follows a broader wave of exits from government, triggered by President Tinubu’s March 31 deadline for all appointees with political ambitions.
The directive, conveyed in a circular signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, and issued by Permanent Secretary (General Services Office), Dr. Ibrahim Kana, cited Section 88(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026.
Under the law, ministers, advisers, and heads of government agencies must resign before contesting in party primaries or accepting nominations for elective positions. The provision is aimed at preventing incumbents from leveraging state resources to gain unfair electoral advantage.
The directive affects a wide range of political office holders, including ministers, ministers of state, presidential aides, and chief executives of federal agencies and parastatals.
According to the timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), party primaries are scheduled to hold between April 23 and May 30, 2026. The deadline for submission of candidates’ names is July 11 for presidential and National Assembly elections, and August 8 for governorship and state assembly races.
Sununu’s exit adds to a growing list of resignations, including Nasiru Gawuna, Chairman of the Governing Board of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria and former APC governorship candidate in Kano State, who stepped down on March 27.
With more aspirants expected to declare their intentions, further resignations are anticipated in the coming days as the political landscape ahead of 2027 continues to take shape.
