Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State has directed all political appointees in his administration with ambitions to contest in the 2027 general elections to resign their positions on or before March 31, 2026.
The directive was conveyed in an official statement issued on Monday by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Kingsley Emu, as preparations gather momentum ahead of party primaries.
According to the statement, the decision aligns with Section 88(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026, as well as the timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the conduct of party primaries.
The government clarified that the directive affects all categories of political appointees intending to seek elective offices. These include Commissioners, Special Advisers, Directors-General, Executive Assistants, Senior Special Assistants, Special Assistants, and Personal Assistants to the Governor, among others.
Affected officials have been instructed to submit their resignation letters through the Office of the SSG within the stipulated deadline and hand over responsibilities to Permanent Secretaries or the most senior career officers in their respective Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
The statement further urged strict compliance, stressing the need to uphold transparency and fairness in the electoral process.
The move mirrors a similar stance earlier taken at the federal level by President Bola Tinubu, who also directed ministers and aides with political ambitions to step down by the same deadline.
In the same vein, governors across several states, including Oyo, Kano, and Cross River, have issued corresponding directives, reinforcing the principle that public office holders must not combine official duties with political campaigns.
