The Minister of Transportation, Sa’idu Ahmed Alkali, has joined the list of cabinet members who have resigned in compliance with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive requiring political appointees seeking elective office in the 2027 general elections to step down on or before 31 March 2026.
Senator Alkali met with President Tinubu at the State House on Tuesday for a closed-door meeting, a development believed to be linked to his resignation.
His exit from office was later confirmed to Voice of Nigeria’s state house correspondent on Tuesday evening.
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The former minister is now set to contest for the Gombe State governorship seat in the 2027 general elections.
With his resignation, Alkali joins Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, who stepped down as Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Yusuf Tanko Sununu, former Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction.
Also on Tuesday, President Tinubu received former Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, in what marked his first known visit to the President since leaving the Federal Executive Council.
Badaru’s visit is believed to be linked to the evolving political situation in Jigawa State and has also helped dispel speculations that he was considering leaving the All Progressives Congress (APC) for an opposition party.
The former two-term Governor of Jigawa State resigned as Minister of Defence on 1 December 2025, having served since 21 August 2023.
President Tinubu also received the immediate past National Chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Ganduje, at the State House on Tuesday.