Nkeiruka Onyejeocha has resigned as Minister of State for Labour and Employment. Her resignation, announced Friday on social media, came three days after President Bola Tinubu's March 31 deadline for cabinet members seeking elective office in 2027 to step down. Onyejeocha is the third minister to resign under this directive, following Said Alkali and Yusuf Tuggar, who are pursuing gubernatorial bids in Gombe and Bauchi states respectively.
In her resignation letter, Onyejeocha thanked President Tinubu, the Federal Executive Council, and Nigerian citizens for the opportunity to serve. "This period marks the end of a significant chapter in my journey of service as I formally resign as Honourable Minister of State for Labour and Employment," she wrote. She described her tenure as a privilege and praised ministry staff for their role in advancing workers' rights, workplace safety, and employment initiatives.
Onyejeocha, a former member of the House of Representatives representing Isuikwuato/Umunneochi federal constituency in Abia State from 2007 to 2023, expressed continued commitment to national progress. She did not disclose which elective position she intends to contest in 2027.
Another minister has exited not because of performance or scandal, but because the president set a deadline for those eyeing 2027 to choose sides. Onyejeocha's resignation, like Alkali's and Tuggar's, reveals how early jostling for power is reshaping the cabinet. With no policy shift or public fallout, this is less about accountability and more about political timing. Nigerians should expect more departures as the race for 2027 quietly accelerates.
