President Bola Tinubu is preparing to appoint a new Minister of Defence this week after Badaru Abubakar stepped down from the position due to health concerns. The resignation became public on Monday in a statement issued by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga. The outgoing minister informed the President through a letter dated December 1, stating that he could no longer continue in office.
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The President accepted his departure and is expected to send the name of a new nominee to the Senate before the end of the week. Abubakar, who is 63 years old, previously led Jigawa State as governor for two terms before joining the federal cabinet in August 2023.
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His decision to leave comes at a tense moment for the government. The country has been dealing with rising insecurity, which recently pushed the President to declare a national security emergency. In response, the government announced fresh plans such as the recruitment of thousands of new police officers, the deployment of forest guards and stronger protection for religious and educational centres.
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Some commentators had earlier questioned Abubakar’s performance and called for his removal, saying he was not the right fit for the ministry. Hours before the announcement of his resignation, President Tinubu held a closed-door meeting with former Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa (retd.), who left office in October. The purpose of the meeting was not immediately known, but it increased talk about possible candidates for the role.
Musa was seen entering the Presidential Villa in the evening, escorted by a senior security officer. It was his first known meeting with the President since his retirement. The conversation between the two men added more interest to the ongoing search for a new defence minister, though no official information has been released on whether Musa is being considered.
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