Amaechi, Ngige have three days left to resign -APC guideline
Ministers-cum-presidential aspirants Rotimi Amaechi and Chris Ngige have three days left to resign from President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet, according to a new guideline set by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday.
The said guideline stipulates all political appointees aspiring to participate in the party primary elections at different levels resign, at least, 30 days before the exercise.
This implies that the transport minister, Amaechi, and his labour counterpary, Ngige, both of whom are gunning for the 2023 presidency, have only 72hours to resign or get disqualified.
According to the ruling party’s timetable, the primaries are scheduled to hold between May 30 and June 1.
By implication, the new guidelines have also put paid to the ambitions of other aspirants for different elective positions who have not resigned from their appointments as of yesterday (April 25).
Governorship, Senate, federal and state Assembly primary elections to select APC candidates for the general elections, according to the party’s timetable, will hold between May 18 and 23, meaning that appointees for such positions who are yet to resign by today would have lost whatever was left of their chances to contest in the primaries.
Government officials aspiring to contest governorship elections under the auspices of the APC ought to have resigned before 18th of April. The consequence is that they are now ineligible to vie for the governorship of their respective states.
With this new guideline and stipulated time frame for resignation, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, who is reported to be interested in the governorship position of his home state of Kebbi, no longer has a chance.
Section 3(i) of the APC final guidelines for the conduct of primaries, states: “No political appointee at any level shall be a voting delegate or be voted for the purpose of the nomination of candidates. Any political office holder interested in contesting for an elective office shall leave office 30 days prior to the date of election or party primary for the office sought.”
