According to people acquainted with the situation, Yusuf Tuggar, the minister of international affairs, is scheduled to retire in order to run for governor of Bauchi state in the 2027 elections.

The planned action follows President Bola Tinubu’s instruction that all political appointees seeking elected office in 2027 retire by March 31, 2026.

Tuggar‘s probable resignation follows the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s recently ended 2026 national conference, during which most members of the party’s national working committee were re-elected without opposition.

Attention has also switched to cabinet colleagues who are thought to be harbouring political ambitions but have yet to openly announce them.

Supporters of Bauchi state’s minister, who were part of the convention delegation, claimed a formal announcement of his gubernatorial run is forthcoming, citing rising political support for his nomination.

Tuggar was a member of the House of Representatives from 2007 until 2011, representing the Gamawa Federal Constituency.

He served as Nigeria’s ambassador to Germany from 2017 until 2023, under former President Muhammadu Buhari, before being appointed minister of international affairs in 2023.

As the resignation deadline approaches, attention remains focused on political appointees likely to follow the mandate as preparations for the 2027 elections accelerate.

Source: TheCable

What this means: Tuggar’s expected exit is part of a wider wave of cabinet departures that will reshape Tinubu’s government ahead of 2027, with the March 31 deadline forcing ministers to choose between office and electoral ambition. For Bauchi, his entry into the governorship race signals a potentially competitive contest backed by federal networks and decades of public service. How many other appointees follow suit will offer an early read on how crowded the 2027 political field is becoming.