The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has warmly congratulated General Christopher Gwabin Musa (Rtd) on his swearing-in and formal assumption of office as Minister of Defence, describing the development as “a man of the decisive moment arriving at the most critical hour” in Nigeria’s prolonged battle against terrorism, banditry and multifaceted insecurity.
In an effusive statement released on Friday, the party declared that General Musa’s entry into President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet represents far more than a routine ministerial handover; it is a strategic inflection point that signals renewed national resolve to confront and defeat the forces destabilising the country.
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“Nigerians already know his name, they know his battlefield record, and they know exactly what they expect from him,” the Lagos APC stated.
“With this appointment comes an enormous public mandate built on decades of distinguished operational command in the most challenging theatres of conflict.”
The party particularly commended the new minister’s inaugural remarks, praising their firm, confident and sober tone that fully acknowledged “the weight of the responsibility now resting on his shoulders”.
It welcomed General Musa’s immediate call for wider societal cooperation, stressing that no Defence Minister, however experienced, can succeed in isolation.
“We heartily agree: victory over insecurity demands a united front – from ordinary citizens, civil institutions, the political class and every arm of the security services,” the statement read.
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Describing the current security landscape as a complex transition in which old threats have mutated, new criminal enterprises have proliferated and hybrid warfare is now entrenched, the Lagos APC outlined the towering expectations awaiting the new minister: rapid modernisation and re-equipment of the armed forces, deeper intelligence fusion across agencies, systematic rebuilding of public trust in security institutions, and the orchestration of sustained, intelligence-led offensives against terrorist groups, bandit coalitions, economic saboteurs and their financial lifelines.
“This is not a portfolio for the faint-hearted,” the party emphasised. “It is a sacred mandate for a soldier-statesman who must combine courage, clarity and unrelenting resolve.”
The statement praised President Tinubu for demonstrating unmistakable political will by appointing a decorated field commander to the defence portfolio at this juncture, adding that General Musa is now duty-bound to match that will with strategic innovation, iron discipline in execution and visible battlefield results.
In a direct message to sponsors and perpetrators of violence, the Lagos APC warned: “A new sheriff has taken charge at the Ministry of Defence.”
It expressed confidence that, under General Musa’s leadership, Nigerians will witness intensified internal cleansing within the security system, decisive disruption of terror financing and logistics chains, and markedly improved protection for communities long traumatised by violence.
“As General Christopher Musa steps into this historic role, he carries both the full confidence of the Commander-in-Chief and the fervent hopes of 220 million Nigerians yearning for a decisive break from the cycle of insecurity,” the party concluded.
“The Lagos State APC stands squarely behind him and calls on all citizens to rally round our new Minister of Defence. Together, we shall reclaim our country.”
