I May Join APC Soon, Says Defence Minister

The Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa, has said President Bola Tinubu deserves the full backing of all Nigerians to succeed, pledging his unwavering support for the President and his administration.

Musa who was the former Chief of Defence Staff, also hinted at a possible move to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics programme, Musa said although he had not formally joined any political party, his alignment with the APC was only a matter of time.

“I’ve not transited yet. I’m in transition,” he said when asked if he now considers himself a politician.

Pressed further on whether he would join the APC, he added, “Not yet, but I think I’ll be. Definitely. The APC has given me the platform to present myself right from when I was CDS till date, so why not?”

THE WHISTLER reports that 58year old Musa previously served as the 18th Chief of Defence Staff from June 23, 2023, until his retirement on October 30, 2025.

He was sworn in as a minister by President Tinubu on December 4, 2025, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

His comments come amid a sustained wave of defections to the APC since Tinubu assumed office in May 2023, a trend that intensified throughout 2025 and has continued into 2026.

Several serving governors have crossed over from opposition parties to the ruling party, including Abba Yusuf of Kano State from the New Nigeria Peoples Party, as well as Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers, Peter Mbah of Enugu, Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom, Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta, Douye Diri of Bayelsa and Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang, all from the Peoples Democratic Party.

Most recently, Taraba State Governor Agbu Kefas formally defected from the PDP to the APC, raising the number of governors under the ruling party to 29.

While many of the defections have been attributed to internal crises within opposition parties, the growing realignments have fuelled intense debate ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Speaking, he explained that his political inclination was driven by his belief in President Tinubu’s leadership, insisting that the President required unwavering support to deliver on his mandate.

“Mr President needs all support, totally. I’ll give him all my support, whatever I can do to make sure that he succeeds in his call of duty, including moving forward to the second term. I think I’d give him my very best,” he emphasized.