Senate To Screen Defence Minister Nominee Wednesday

As part of its strategic response to the country’s security challenges, the Senate has revealed that it will screen the immediate-past Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Gwabin Musa, for his consideration as the new Minister of Defence, on Wednesday.

Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele disclosed this 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.

Musa’s nomination by President Bola Tinubu followed the resignation of the former Minister of Defence, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru, due to what he ascribed to health issues.

Consequently, President Tinubu nominated the former defence chief as the new Minister of Defence via a letter transmitted to the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio on Tuesday.

In a statement Tuesday night, Bamidele noted 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. 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)”.

Bamidele maintained that the Senate 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.”

He stressed that, “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.”