KEY POINTS

• Yusuf Tuggar has resigned as Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs to pursue the Bauchi State governorship in 2027.
• The resignation is in compliance with a presidential directive requiring political appointees with electoral ambitions to vacate their offices by March 31, 2026.
• Tuggar’s move is expected to intensify competition within the APC in Bauchi State.

Yusuf Tuggar, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, has officially resigned from his position to pursue the governorship of Bauchi State in the 2027 elections.

Tuggar, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), submitted his resignation letter on Monday, just a day before the March 31 deadline set by President Bola Tinubu for political appointees with electoral ambitions to vacate their offices.

Resignation and Compliance

Tuggar’s resignation is in compliance with Section 88(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026, and the timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for party primaries ahead of the 2027 polls. The move is expected to intensify competition within the APC in Bauchi State, where multiple aspirants are vying for the party’s ticket.

Tuggar’s Background

Before his appointment as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tuggar served as Nigeria’s Ambassador to Germany from 2017 to 2023 and represented Gamawa Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives between 2007 and 2011.

His resignation has sparked speculation about his potential candidacy for the Bauchi State governorship.