Chief Godswill Akpabio, Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, has resigned.
Akpabio tendered his resignation hours after President Muhammadu Buhari ordered his cabinet members seeking elective offices in 2023 to step down.
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There are nine ministers who have indicated interest in the 2023 election, while two are eyeing the governorship of their states, another is set for the 2023 senatorial contest, while six others are gunning to succeed Buhari.
Of the six, Emeka Nawijuba, Minister of State for Education, resigned earlier in the day.
Next to Nwaijuba is Akpabio, whose resignation was announced by Jackson Udom, his media aide.
In a statement, Udom said, “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by paid agents of some politicians, that the leading presidential aspirant, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has purportedly withdrawn from the presidential race.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 cabinet members who are seeking elective offices are Ministers of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige; Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu; Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva.
The Minister of State, Mines and Steel Development, Uche Ogar, has obtained governorship nomination forms to get APC ticket in Abia State, while the Minister of Women Affairs, Paulline Tallen, has declared her ambition to contest for the senatorial seat in Plateau.
Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has equally declared to contest the APC governorship ticket in Kebbi State.
