- Safiu Kehinde
The Senate is set to screen the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff, retired Gen. Christopher Musa as the new Minister of Defence on Wednesday.
NPO Reported that President Bola Tinubu had announced Musa as successor of Mohammed Badaru who resigned from the role over health issues.
In the wake of Badaru’s resignation, Tinubu held a closed-door meeting with Musa on Monday.
This had signaled possible emergence of ex-CDS as the new Defence Minister.
The speculations would be confirmed on Tuesday with Tinubu’s announcement of Musa’s nomination for the vacant role.
In reaction, Leader of the senate, Sen. Opeyemi Bamidele disclosed that Musa will be screened today at the red chamber’s plenary session.
Bamidele made the disclosure in a statement by his Directorate on Media and Public Affairs, on Tuesday, emphasising the significance of the exercise to ensuring internal peace and stability.
The Senate leader said that the senate was already in possession of the request of Tinubu to screen his defence minister–nominee.
He added that the letter would be read on the floor of the senate on Wednesday.
“Subsequently, it will immediately proceed to the screening of the nominee consistent with Section 147 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended)”.
“We cannot delay such a request especially at this crucial time in the history of our fatherland.
“We are treating the request as a matter that directly touches the core interest of our nation so that the federal government can sustain its campaigns against bandits, extremists, terrorists and other forces undermining our national security.
“Since the president has declared a state of emergency on national security, both the Presidency and National Assembly must work hand in hand to ensure peace, stability and good government.
“The screening of the defence minister nominee is one of the ways to demonstrate such a synergy purely in the national interest,” Bamidele said.