Abuja, Nigeria — Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, has resigned from his position following a directive from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu requiring political appointees planning to contest elections in 2027 to step down from office.
The resignation was confirmed on Monday by Kimiebi Ebienfa, spokesperson for Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The development comes as speculation grows that Tuggar intends to contest the governorship election in Bauchi State, located in northeastern Nigeria.
President Tinubu had earlier directed all political appointees seeking elective office in the 2027 general elections to resign on or before Monday, March 31, 2026. The decision was based on Section 88(1) of Nigeria’s Electoral Act 2026 and the timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Nigeria’s election management body, for party primaries.
Okay News reports that Tuggar’s exit marks one of the first high-level resignations following the presidential directive, which is expected to reshape the composition of the federal cabinet in the coming weeks.
Born on Thursday, March 12, 1967, Tuggar is a career diplomat and politician with experience across government and international relations. He was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs in August 2023 and played a key role in advancing Nigeria’s diplomatic engagement globally.
Before joining the cabinet, he served as a member of Nigeria’s House of Representatives between 2007 and 2011, representing the Gamawa Federal Constituency in Bauchi State. He also contested the Bauchi State governorship in two previous election cycles.
From 2017 to 2023, Tuggar served as Nigeria’s Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany, where he worked to strengthen bilateral relations, improve trade cooperation, and promote Nigeria’s interests in Europe.
His resignation clears the path for participation in party primaries ahead of the 2027 elections, while also opening discussions about potential changes within Nigeria’s foreign policy leadership.
