The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, in defiance to the directive by his party, All Progressives Congress (APC) says he would not resign from office.

The APC had directed cabinet ministers and other government appointees willing to run for elective offices to resign their appointments within 72 hours in line with the dictates of the Electoral Act.

Mr Ngige had last week declared interest to run for president in the 2023 general election.

Speaking to correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Wednesday, the labour minister said he was unaware of any law requiring him to resign to contest the presidential ticket of the APC at least, 30 days before the conduct of party primaries.

He said he his decision not to resign is based on the 1999 Constitution as amended.

He noted that the March 18 judgement of the Federal High Court in Umuahia, struck out section 84(12) of the Electoral Act, obviating the need for appointees to resign their appoint.

“Because I don’t know about that I’m hearing for the first time from you. But like I always say, I’ll be guided by the letters and spirit of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Mr Ngige said.

“You are pushing me into something that is not necessary to discuss because that aspect of the law enacted by the National Assembly, via the Electoral Act, that section 84(12) has been struck down by a court of law and the cases are on appeal.

“And for now, no matter how bad the judgement is, that’s the maximum jurisprudence, no matter how bad the law is, it is a judgement of the court, it should be obeyed, until upturned or stayed.”

Mr Ngige, a medical doctor by training, stressed that the “Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in certain sections, Section 107, 137 and 88, prescribes disqualification clauses for people who are going for election and that prescription is supreme because it’s in the Constitution and the constitution is grundnorm of all laws.”