Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, is set to resign from his position as he prepares to contest the Bauchi State governorship election ahead of the 2027 polls.
Sources familiar with the development say Tuggar is expected to step down in line with a directive by President Bola Tinubu, which requires all political appointees seeking elective office to resign on or before 31st March 2026.
The directive, issued through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, is tied to provisions of the Electoral Act and the timetable for party primaries released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Tuggar’s anticipated exit is seen as one of the first major moves by a serving minister ahead of the election cycle.
According to reports, he is “expected to resign… to immediately throw his hat in the Bauchi State governorship ring.”
His decision comes amid growing political activity following the recent All Progressives Congress (APC) national convention, where attention has shifted to cabinet members believed to be nursing political ambitions.
Supporters from Bauchi State have already begun rallying behind the minister, with one source noting that “a formal declaration of his governorship bid is imminent.”
Tuggar, a seasoned diplomat and politician, previously served as a member of the House of Representatives and later as Nigeria’s ambassador to Germany before his appointment as foreign affairs minister in 2023.
Political observers say his entry into the race could reshape the contest in Bauchi, especially as debates around leadership increasingly focus on competence and experience.
With the resignation deadline approaching, attention is now on other political appointees expected to follow suit as preparations for the 2027 general elections gather momentum.
