The Senate has announced that it will screen the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, on Wednesday as the nominee for Minister of Defence—an exercise it describes as crucial to addressing Nigeria’s ongoing security challenges.
The disclosure was made by the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, in a statement released by his Directorate of Media and Public Affairs on Tuesday.
Bamidele emphasized the importance of the screening, noting that it aligns with national efforts to strengthen internal peace and stability.
General Musa was nominated following the resignation of the former Minister of Defence, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru, who stepped down citing health concerns. President Bola Tinubu subsequently forwarded Musa’s name to the Senate for confirmation, transmitting a formal request to Senate President Godswill Akpabio on Tuesday.
According to Bamidele, the Senate “is already in possession of the request of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to screen his defence minister nominee.”
He added that the letter “will be read on the floor of the Senate on Wednesday,” after which the chamber will proceed immediately to the confirmation exercise in accordance with Section 147 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
“We cannot delay such a request, especially at this crucial time in the history of our fatherland,” Bamidele stated.
He stressed that the President’s request would be treated with urgency, given the need to sustain national security operations against bandits, extremists, terrorists, and other threats.
“With the President having declared a state of emergency on national security, both the Presidency and the National Assembly must work hand in hand to ensure peace, stability, and good governance,” he said.
Bamidele concluded that the timely screening of the defence minister nominee is a key demonstration of that synergy, undertaken strictly in the national interest.
