By Akintunde Aderonke Omolewu | Fact Frontier.
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In compliance with a recent directive issued by President Bola Tinubu, Hon. Taiwo Oluga, the Federal Commissioner representing the South-West geopolitical zone on the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC), has formally resigned her appointment. Her resignation, effective March 31, 2026, is directly attributable to the President's instruction requiring all political appointees with intentions to contest elective positions in the 2027 general elections to vacate their offices.
President Tinubu's directive, announced on March 17, 2026, through a statement by the Head of Information and Public Relations at the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Dewan Goshit, applies to all categories of political appointees across the federal executive branch. This includes ministers, special advisers, directors-general, chief executives of federal parastatals and agencies, as well as commissioners serving on federal commissions such as the NASC. The March 31 deadline was established to align with the timetable issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which schedules party primaries between April 23 and May 30, 2026.
The legal foundation for the President's order is Section 88(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026, which explicitly mandates that any political appointee seeking nomination as a candidate in any election shall resign from their position prior to the conduct of party primaries. The provision is designed to prevent the deployment of state resources and the influence of public office to secure an undue electoral advantage over other aspirants.
In her resignation letter, Hon. Oluga expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for the opportunity to serve as South-West Commissioner and explicitly cited the presidential directive as the reason for her decision. She previously represented the Ayedaade/Irewole/Isokan Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives. While she has not yet publicly declared the specific elective position she intends to pursue in 2027, her resignation constitutes a clear indication of her political ambition for the forthcoming electoral cycle.
The President's directive has been interpreted by political analysts as a strategic measure to enforce compliance with electoral laws, promote transparency in the political process, and establish a level playing field for all aspirants irrespective of their incumbency status. By requiring his own appointees to resign before participating in party primaries, President Tinubu has demonstrated a commitment to separating governance functions from partisan electoral activities. This move is expected to reinforce the integrity of the 2027 elections and deter the abuse of public office for campaign purposes.
Further resignations from other political appointees are anticipated as the April 23 commencement of party primaries approaches. The cumulative effect of these resignations is likely to reshape the political configuration ahead of the 2027 general elections, as many appointees now weigh their electoral ambitions against continued service in the executive branch.
