Breaking: Foreign Affairs Minister Steps Down Ahead 2027 Polls
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The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, has resigned from President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet to pursue his governorship ambition in Bauchi State ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The Ministry confirmed the resignation on Monday through its spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, who stated, “The resignation of the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs is confirmed” . Tuggar submitted his resignation letter to the President shortly after noon on March 30, 2026 .
The Special Adviser to the Minister on Media and Communications Strategy, Alkasim Abdulkadir, had earlier confirmed Tuggar’s intention to contest for the governorship seat. Abdulkadir said, “The minister is interested and aspires to run for the governorship seat of Bauchi State.” When asked about the timing of the resignation, he stated, “There is a timetable released by INEC that stipulates all the rules and regulations for running; he (Tuggar) will adhere to this.”
Tuggar’s resignation follows a presidential directive issued earlier in March, communicated through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume. The order requires all political appointees seeking elective positions to resign by March 31, 2026 . The directive is in line with Section 88(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026, and the timetable issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for party primaries ahead of the 2027 elections .
Before his appointment as Minister of Foreign Affairs in 2023, Tuggar served as a member of the House of Representatives representing Gamawa Federal Constituency from 2007 to 2011. He was also Nigeria’s Ambassador to Germany from 2017 to 2023 under former President Muhammadu Buhari .
Tuggar, who hails from Udubo in Gamawa Local Government Area of Bauchi State, previously contested for the governorship position in 2015 . His entry into the 2027 race comes as the Bauchi gubernatorial contest is attracting significant attention, with another serving minister from the state, Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Ali Pate, also reportedly interested in the position .
Supporters of the minister from Bauchi State, who were part of the delegation to the recently concluded 2026 All Progressives Congress (APC) National Convention, expressed confidence that a formal declaration of his governorship bid is imminent .