The Senate has announced that it will on Wednesday screen the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Gwabin Musa, as President Bola Tinubu’s nominee for Minister of Defence—an exercise described as critical to the nation’s ongoing security reforms.
The disclosure was made by the Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, in a statement issued by his Directorate of Media and Public Affairs on Tuesday. He emphasised that the screening is essential to strengthening internal peace and stability.
General Musa’s nomination follows the resignation of the former Minister of Defence, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru, who stepped down citing health-related concerns.
President Tinubu subsequently forwarded Musa’s name to the Senate for confirmation in a letter transmitted to Senate President Godswill Akpabio on Tuesday.
Bamidele stated that 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 move immediately to the screening, in line 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 said.
He noted that the urgency reflects the need to sustain ongoing government campaigns against bandits, extremists, terrorists, and other actors undermining national security.
“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 added.
Bamidele concluded that the screening of General Musa represents one of the ways the Senate intends to demonstrate this inter-branch synergy in the national interest.
