“APC HAS CAPTURED THE MILITARY” — SOWORE

AAC presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has launched a scathing attack on Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, retired General Christopher Musa, accusing him of being a partisan ally of President Bola Tinubu and of politicising the Nigerian military ahead of the 2027 general election.

The Sowore criticism was delivered during a televised interview, where Sowore questioned how a retired general serving in a defence portfolio could be so openly partisan in favour of a sitting president.

THE ACCUSATION

Sowore did not hold back.

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“Chris Musa has no business being in that position if he cannot separate his loyalty to the constitution from his loyalty to Bola Tinubu,” Sowore said.

“He is a political general. He is a Tinubu ally, not a Defence Minister”.

He argued that the military, which is supposed to be neutral and apolitical, has been increasingly drawn into partisan politics under the Tinubu administration.

“They are using the military to intimidate opposition figures. They are using the military to rig elections. And Chris Musa is the one supervising it. It is unacceptable,” he said.

THE BROADER CONCERN

Sowore’s comments reflect a growing concern about the politicisation of Nigeria’s security apparatus.

In recent months, the Tinubu administration has been accused of using security agencies to harass opposition figures, including Sowore himself, who has been arrested and detained multiple times.

Sowore’s criticisms of the military are part of a broader critique of the administration’s use of state institutions to consolidate power.

THE DEFENCE MINISTER’S BACKGROUND

Christopher Musa was sworn in Minister of Defence by President Tinubu on 4 December 2025.

A retired general, he served as the Chief of Defence Staff before his appointment. His tenure has been marked by increased military operations against bandits, terrorists and separatist groups, but also by allegations of human rights abuses and extrajudicial killings.

WHY IT MATTERS

Sowore’s attack on the Defence Minister is a signal that the 2027 campaign will be fought not only on economic grounds but also on issues of democratic integrity and the role of the military in politics.

If the military is perceived as partisan, it undermines public confidence in the neutrality of the security apparatus and raises questions about whether elections can be free and fair.

ValidViewNetwork reports that Sowore has accused the Defence Minister of partisanship. The Defence Ministry has not responded to his comments.