The Senate leadership, led by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, issued a stern warning on Thursday to the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru, cautioning him against making public remarks that could strain relations between the National Assembly and President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
This followed Badaru’s dismissal of a planned two-day national security summit organized by the Senate, which he described as unnecessary for tackling Nigeria’s security challenges.
At Thursday’s plenary, Akpabio and Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele criticized the minister’s comments, emphasizing that such public statements could undermine legislative efforts and create discord with the executive branch. Badaru had stated at a ministerial briefing in Abuja on Wednesday that the armed forces were already well-equipped and that strategy, rather than summits, was key to addressing security issues. He said, “Strategy is far more important than a summit. The summit will give input for the strategy, but operational orders come from the Defence Chiefs, not from public discourse.”
Akpabio expressed disappointment, urging the Defence Ministry to address any concerns directly with the Senate leadership rather than in public. He warned, “Such public remarks could lead to unnecessary executive-legislative conflict.” He also praised the 10th Senate for maintaining focus on national priorities despite distractions.
Bamidele described the minister’s remarks as demoralizing and unhelpful, noting, “That the Minister of Defence could describe a Senate-backed national security summit as unnecessary is troubling. Summits remain critical avenues for gathering diverse perspectives to inform strategic decisions.”
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives called on President Tinubu to deploy additional security personnel to Plateau State after recent violent attacks. The House adopted a motion urging immediate action to prevent further bloodshed and called for humanitarian aid for displaced persons. Committees have been mandated to investigate the root causes of the violence and recommend solutions within four weeks, while the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs is tasked with rehabilitation plans for affected communities.
