Public affairs commentator, Mahdi Shehu, has faulted the growing trend of Nigerian public officials resigning from office and blaming it on sickness.
He said such explanations are usually not true.
In a post shared on X on Tuesday, Shehu argued that officials who claim to be stepping down because of health challenges are often hiding the real reasons behind their exit.
According to him, “whenever a public officer in Nigeria resigns his appointment and gives sickness as an excuse, know that he is an outright liar.”
He said there are deeper issues that usually force such resignations, including internal power struggles and pressure from influential groups.
“There is always something beneath that sickness excuse. It could be a hidden threat, a forceful exit, a clash with the cabals, or that his days are simply numbered,” he wrote.
Shehu added that some officials step aside because the political environment has become too difficult for them to continue defending questionable decisions.
“He might be tired of pretending and defending falsehood,” he said.
He noted that others quit after sensing that things may soon go wrong.
“Some foresee a crash and wish to escape.”
He also claimed that, in some cases, someone else has already been promised the position, making the resignation inevitable.
Shehu accompanied his post with photos of three recent high-profile resignations, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, who stepped down earlier this year as APC national chairman; Ajuri Ngelale, who resigned as the President’s spokesman; and Mohammed Badaru, who left his position as Minister of Defence, all of whom cited health reasons for their exit.