Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, has resigned from the cabinet of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to pursue his ambition of contesting the Bauchi State governorship in the 2027 general elections.

The resignation was confirmed on Monday by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through its spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa. According to sources, Tuggar submitted his resignation letter to the President shortly after noon, formally stepping down from his role.

It was gathered that the former minister is set to contest the governorship election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), aligning his political future with the ruling party.

Tuggar’s exit follows a directive issued earlier in March by the Presidency, mandating all political appointees with intentions to seek elective office to resign on or before March 31, 2026.

The directive, communicated through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, is aimed at ensuring a level playing field and preventing conflicts of interest ahead of the election cycle.