The Senate will on Wednesday screen the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, for confirmation as the new Minister of Defence, citing the process as a critical step in addressing Nigeria’s persistent security challenges.
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele disclosed this on Tuesday in a statement issued by his Directorate on Media and Public Affairs, stressing the screening’s importance to national peace and stability.
Musa’s nomination follows the resignation of former Defence Minister Alhaji Mohammed Badaru, who stepped down citing health reasons. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu subsequently forwarded Musa’s name to the Senate, transmitting a formal letter to Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
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Bamidele said, “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. The letter will be read on the floor on Wednesday, after which the screening will commence in line with Section 147 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).”
He added, “We cannot delay such a request, especially at this critical juncture. The screening touches the core interest of our nation and ensures that the Federal Government can sustain its operations against bandits, extremists, terrorists, and other threats to national security. Since the President has declared a state of emergency on national security, the Presidency and National Assembly must work in synergy to guarantee peace, stability, and effective governance. The screening of the Defence Minister nominee is a demonstration of that collaboration in the national interest.”
