Scotland First Minister Nicola Sturgeon resign as she say politics dey 'brutal'

Scotland First Minister Nicola Sturgeon don announce say she dey resign afta more dan eight years as head of di Scottish goment.

Di Scottish National Party leader tok say she know "for her head and for her heart" say dis na di right time to step down.

She make di announcement for one sharperly-arranged news conference for Edinburgh.

Di first minister say she go remain for office until her successor dey elected.

Ms Sturgeon na di longest-serving first minister and di first woman to hold di position.

Nicola Sturgeon tok why she dey resign

She say serving for di role na "privilege beyond measure".

But she add say: "Since di very first moment for di job, I believe say part of serving well go be to know, almost instinctively, wen di time dey right to make way for someone else.

"And wen dat time come, to get di courage to do so, even if too many across di kontri, and for my party, fit feel like say e dey too soon.

"For my head and for my heart I know say di time na now. Dat e dey right for me, for my party and for di kontri.

"And so today, I dey announce my intention to step down as first minister and leader of my party."

Ms Sturgeon say her decision no be reaction to short-term pressures, but e come from "a deeper and longer-term assessment".

Di first minister say she bin dey fight wit di decision for some weeks.

Di first minister say every human dey battle wit conflicting emotions every day.

"Ova di last number of weeks, probably since around di turn of di year, I don dey struggle wit just dat," she tok.

"I get up in di morning and I tell myself, and usually I convince myself, say I get wetin e take to keep going and keep going and keep going.

"But den I realise say, maybe no be true."

She say two questions bin dey - weda make she continue dey right for her, and weda e dey right for di kontri, her party and di cause of independence.

Ms Sturgeon say di ansa to both questions na no.

"Given di nature and scale of di challenges di kontri dey face, I feel say my duty, na first and foremost, to our kontri - to ensure say e get di energy of leadership e need, no be just for today, but through di years wey remain of dis parliamentary term," she tok.

"We dey for critical moment. Di blocking of a referendum as di accepted, constitutional route to independence na democratic outrage.

"But e put di responsibility on us to decide how Scottish democracy go dey protected and to ensure say di will of di Scottish pipo prevail."

She say need dey for support for independence to dey "solidified" and to grow further.

"To achieve dat, we go need reach across di divide for Scottish politics, and my judgement now na say e need a new leader," she tok.

Ms Sturgeon tok say she "no dey leave politics" and go continue to fight for Scottish independence.

Politicians across divide pay tribute to Sturgeon

Politicians across di political divide don also begin react to Nicola Sturgeon resignation announcement.

Former SNP MP Stephen Gethins say Ms Sturgeon bin don "lead wit distinction" and say im dey "surprised... and disappointed" by di news.

SNP MP Stewart McDonald describe di first minister as "di finest public servant of di devolution age".

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak thank her "for her long-standing service", e add for Twitter: "We go continue to work closely wit di scot gov on our joint efforts to deliver for pipo across Scotland."

Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price say she be "once in a generation politician, driven by strong passion for her kontri".

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar say Sturgeon na "able politician" and she lead Scotland through some of di most "challenging times" in recent history.

While Sinn Fein Vice President Michelle O'Neill pay tribute "to di big strides she make in advancing di campaign for Scottish independence, di strong stance against Brexit and di undermining of devolution by di Tories in London".

Amy Callaghan, MP for East Dunbartonshire, say Sturgeon na “personal inspiration to many” and “a trailblazer”.

While Joanna Cherry, MP for Edinburgh South West, say: “E dey key make di SNP react to di resignation of Nicola Sturgeon for way wey dey beneficial to di kontri plus di cause of independence. Our party need a leadership election wey dey about policies and not personalities.”

Who be Nicola Sturgeon

Ms Sturgeon na member of di Scottish Parliament since 1999, and she become di deputy leader of di SNP for 2004.

To many, Nicola Sturgeon don become di face of Scottish independence for her time as first minister.

She be di first minister since November 2014, wen she take over from Alex Salmond afta di defeat for di independence referendum.

Ms Sturgeon don lead di SNP to several election victories for UK, Scottish and local level.

Nicola Sturgeon go be 53 dis year and she say she don be "Nicola Sturgeon di politician all my life".

Who fit replace Nicola Sturgeon