On Wednesday, President Muhammadu Buhari asked all members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) contesting elective positions in 2023 to resign.

They were asked to submit their letters of resignation on or before Monday the 16th of May, 2022.

According to the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, the order excludes the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo because he is an elected member of the cabinet.

Mohammed added that if the need arises, the directive might involve political appointees.

Among those affected are Ministers of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi; State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba; Labour and Productivity, Chris Nigige; Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio; Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu and State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva who have all joined the presidential race on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Others are Attorney General of the Federation, Mallam Abubakar Malami, who has declared interested in the governorship position in his home state of Kebbi.

Running for the governorship position in Abia State is the Minister of State Mines and Steel, Uche Ogar while the Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen has also declared her ambition to contest for the senatorial seat in Plateau State.

Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, is also rumoured to be interested in running for governor of Gombe State and to have picked up the APC governorship forms.

His counterpart in the Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, has also purchased the N50 million APC nomination forms to succeed Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2023 governorship polls.

Though not a cabinet member, SaharaReporters gathered that Godwin Emefiele, governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) may also be affected by the presidential order.