….Badaru Abubakar, Defence Minister, Resigns
Nigeria’s defence minister, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, has resigned his appointment, with immediate effect.
In a letter dated December 1, sent to President Bola Tinubu, Abubakar said he was quitting on health grounds.
President Tinubu has accepted the resignation and thanked Abubakar for his services to the nation.
President Tinubu will likely inform the Senate of Badaru’s successor later this week.
Badaru Abubakar, 63, was a two-term governor of Jigawa state from 2015 to 2023. He was appointed as a minister on August 21, 2023, by President Tinubu.
His resignation comes amid President Tinubu’s declaration of a national security emergency, with plans to elaborate on its scope in due course.
But unconfirmed report indicates that health status of the Minister made him to resign.
However, Human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore has alleged that President Bola Tinubu asked Mohammed Badaru Abubakar to step aside as Defence Minister.
It had been reported that the Minister tendered his resignation from office on Monday, citing health issues.
However, Sowore in a Facebook post claimed that the Minister was asked to resign to pave the way for the appointment of former Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa as Defence Minister
He said, Abubakar “was asked by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to step aside to make room for former Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa to be appointed Defence Minister”.
The activist also alleged that the Nigerian government is also under pressure to relieve the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle over security concerns.
“There are also strong indications that US President Donald Trump’s United States military is pressing for the removal of the equally ineffective and utterly useless Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, citing serious concerns over intelligence sharing and collaboration”, Sowore added
