President Bola Tinubu is poised to announce a new Minister of Defence this week, following the unexpected resignation of the current minister, Badaru Abubakar, who stepped down due to health concerns. Abubakar’s resignation, effective immediately, was communicated in a letter dated December 1 and addressed to the President.
The announcement was made on Monday evening by Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy. The statement confirmed that Abubakar cited health grounds as the reason for his departure, and President Tinubu has accepted the resignation, expressing gratitude for Abubakar’s service to the nation.
The President is expected to inform the Senate about Abubakar’s successor later this week, indicating that the process to fill the ministerial position is already underway.
Badaru Abubakar, 63, previously served as the governor of Jigawa State for two terms from 2015 to 2023 before his appointment as Minister of Defence on August 21, 2023. His resignation comes at a critical time for the administration, which is currently facing escalating security challenges that led President Tinubu to declare a nationwide security emergency.
In response to the rising insecurity, the President has introduced several measures, including the recruitment of 20,000 additional police officers, the deployment of forest guards, and increased security for schools, churches, and mosques in vulnerable areas.
Abubakar’s leadership had faced scrutiny, with some analysts and critics calling for his removal, questioning his effectiveness in managing the ministry.
Interestingly, just hours before the announcement of Abubakar’s resignation, President Tinubu held a private meeting with former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa (retd.), at the State House. Musa arrived at 7:03 p.m. dressed in traditional northern attire and was escorted to the President’s office by a senior security official. While the details of their discussion remain unconfirmed, the meeting has sparked speculation regarding potential candidates to replace Abubakar as Defence Minister.
Further updates are expected as the situation develops and the President prepares to announce his choice for the new Minister of Defence.
