A valedictory session was Friday morning held for 10 ministers at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
This was disclosed by the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.
Mohammed said nine of the outgoing ministers were present for the session. He, however, said not all the 10 ministers, who are aspiring for political offices, had resigned from office as directed by President Muhammadu Buhari.
“This morning, there was a valedictory session for 10 members of the Federal Executive Council who have indicated their desire to aspire for higher offices,” the minister said.
Asked if all the 10 outgoing ministers had sent in their resignation letters, Alhaji Mohammed said: “Well, Mr President said some have and others are in the process of doing so.”
Mohammed did not name those who have resigned from office.
The directive by Buhari is that ministers seeking elective office resign before Monday.
Following the directive, three ministers have announced their resignations. They are Ogbonnaiya Onu (Minister of Science and Technology); Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba (Minister of State for Education); and Godswill Akpabio (Minister of Niger Delta Affairs).
Others such as the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, who seeks to be president, and Attorney-General Abubakar Malami, who seeks to be Kebbi State governor, were yet to announce their resignation as of Friday morning.
Meanwhile, Buhari has given hint of immediate replacement of the 10 ministers exiting from the Federal cabinet.
Alhaji Lai Mohammed announced this after the President had a valedictory meeting with nine of the ministers.
He said the President had indicated that he would immediately fill the vacancy created by the exit of former members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
He also thanked the exited ministers for complying with the directive to quit based on their decision to seek elective political offices.
Buhari appreciated them for their services to the country, expressing confidence that gving the experience they have garnered in the services of government, they are equipped to run the states.
The President admonished the rest of the cabinet to be committed to governance for the rest of the life of the administration.
The former Ministers at Friday’s meeting were Abubakar Malami (Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice); Godswill Akpabio (Niger Delta Affairs); Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi (Transportation); Ogbonnaya Onu (Science, Technology and Innovation); Pauline Tallen (Women Affairs); Chris Ngige (Labour and Employment); Timipre Sylva (State, Petroleum Resources); Uche Ogar (State, Mines and Steel Development), and Tayo Alasoadura (State, Niger Delta Affairs).
Only Emeka Nwajiuba, the former Minister of State for Education, who was the first to resign, was absent at the meeting with apologies.