The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has said President Muhammadu Buhari will decide the fate of ministers who declared interest in elective offices but later changed their minds and decided to retain their posts.
Mohammed stated this on Wednesday while briefing State House Correspondents after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in Abuja.
Buhari had last week directed ministers seeking elective offices to resign on or before Monday, May 16.
The affected ministers seeking elective positions include Ministers of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio; Science, Technology and Innovation, Ogbonnaya Onu, State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva and Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige.
Others are the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), Minister of State, Mines and Steel Development, Uche Ogah, the Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen and the Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs, Chief Tayo Alasoadura.
But the Minister of State (Education), Emeka Nwajiuba, who had earlier tendered his resignation.
But after the valedictory meeting with Buhari, AGF Malami withdrew from the 2023 Kebbi governorship race; Pauline Tallen pulled out from the Plateau South Senatorial race; Ngige announced his withdrawal from the 2023 presidential race while Timipre Sylva abandoned his presidential bid.
Speaking on the lack of principle from these ministers, Mohammed said he will seek Buhari’s position on the development.
He said, “The other question about ministers returning or not going, I think you need to give me more time so that I can tell you exactly what the situation is.
“Right now, I need to cross-check. I need to confirm again from Mr president what the situation is. You see the final decision on who is going, who’s coming back, who’s not going lies with Mr President.”
