​The Minister of Transportation, Senator Sa’idu Ahmed Alkali, officially resigned on Tuesday, March 31, 2026. He met with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa to tender his resignation just hours before the midnight deadline.
​Alkali is stepping down to run for the Governorship of Gombe State in the 2027 general elections. He is aiming to succeed the incumbent, Governor Inuwa Yahaya, whose second term ends in May 2027. As a former Senator and a key figure in the APC, Alkali is seen as a heavyweight contender for the “Jewel in the Savannah.”
His exit wasn’t a sudden fallout but a strategic compliance with a presidential directive. On March 17, 2026, President Tinubu issued a mandate via the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) requiring all political appointees ministers, advisers, and heads of agencies—to resign by March 31 if they intended to contest the 2027 elections.
​The resignation is primarily driven by Section 88(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026. This law requires appointees to vacate their positions before participating in party primaries.
This ensures public resources aren’t used to fund or influence personal campaigns and allows the President to appoint “full-time” replacements who aren’t distracted by the rigors of campaigning.
​Alkali isn’t alone, his resignation coincided with several other cabinet members leaving for similar reasons, including Yusuf Tuggar (Foreign Affairs) running for Governor of
Bauchi State and Adebayo Adelabu (Power)Â eyeing the governorship in Oyo State.
With the Ministry of Transportation now vacant, all eyes are on the State House to see who President Tinubu will appoint to manage critical infrastructure projects like the ongoing railway modernizations.
