In a major development within President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet, Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, has tendered his resignation, effective immediately.
The Minister conveyed his decision in a letter dated December 1, addressed to the President, citing health grounds. This was confirmed in a statement released by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, and obtained by Hobnob News on Monday.
“President Tinubu has accepted the resignation and thanked Abubakar for his services to the nation,” the statement affirmed.
Critical Timing Amid Security Emergency
Alhaji Badaru Abubakar’s departure comes at an extremely sensitive time for the administration. The resignation follows President Tinubu’s recent declaration of a national security emergency and his planned elaboration on the scope of the crisis in the coming weeks.
The sudden vacancy in such a critical portfolio makes the selection and confirmation of a successor an urgent priority for the Federal Government.
Minister’s Background and Successor
Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, 63, is a seasoned politician who previously served two terms as the Governor of Jigawa State from 2015 to 2023. He was appointed to the Federal Executive Council as Minister of Defence by President Tinubu on August 21, 2023.
The presidential statement indicated that the process to fill the vacancy is already underway:
“President Tinubu will likely inform the Senate of Badaru’s successor later this week.”
Political observers note that the incoming Defence Minister will inherit the immediate responsibility of addressing the country’s significant security challenges, including insurgency, banditry, and communal conflicts, while simultaneously implementing the President’s national security agenda.
