Three senior political appointees from Oyo State working in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration are expected to resign imminently, following a directive for all appointees planning to run in the 2027 elections to step down by March 31.
The directive, announced by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) on Tuesday, requires political appointees seeking elective offices to vacate their positions ahead of the next electoral cycle. According to Media Talk Africa, the affected individuals from Oyo State are Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu, Pro-Chancellor of Dave Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences Adebayo Shittu, and Chairman of the Federal College of Education (Special) Rauf Olaniyan.
All three are prominent members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and have表明ed intentions to contest the Oyo State gubernatorial race in 2027. Adelabu, from Ibadan, has served as Minister of Power since 2023. Shittu, a former Minister of Communications from Saki, was appointed to his university role in June 2024. Olaniyan, a former Deputy Governor of Oyo State, assumed his college chairmanship in July 2024.
As of now, none of the three have submitted resignations, but they are widely anticipated to do so before the March 31 deadline to formalize their campaigns. Their departures will mark a significant step in the early political maneuvering for control of Oyo State, a critical battleground in southwestern Nigeria.
The presidential order aims to ensure a level playing field by preventing incumbents from leveraging federal appointments for electoral advantage. The exits of these key federal appointees are expected to reshape the political landscape in Oyo State, setting the stage for a competitive APC primary ahead of the 2027 general elections.
