THE Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (retd.), has hinted that he may soon formally join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), describing himself as being “in transition” politically and expressing strong support for President Bola Tinubu and his administration.
General Musa made the remarks during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics monitored by News Point Nigeria, where he spoke candidly about his evolving political outlook following his retirement from active military service.
Responding to a question on whether he now considers himself a politician, the former Chief of Defence Staff said he had not fully crossed over yet but acknowledged an ongoing shift.
“I’ve not transitioned yet,” Musa said. “I’m in transition.”
Pressed further on whether he is already a member of the APC, the defence minister replied in the negative but suggested that joining the ruling party was likely.
“Not yet, but I think I’ll be. Definitely,” he said. “The APC has given me the platform to present myself right from when I was CDS till date, so why not?”
The 58-year-old minister also declared unwavering support for President Tinubu, stressing that the President deserves the full backing of all well-meaning Nigerians as he continues to steer the country.
“Mr President needs all support, totally,” Musa said. “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.”
General Musa served as Nigeria’s 18th Chief of Defence Staff from June 23, 2023, until his retirement on October 30, 2025. He was subsequently appointed Minister of Defence and sworn in by President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on December 4, 2025.
His comments come against the backdrop of a sustained wave of political realignments since Tinubu assumed office in May 2023, with defections to the APC accelerating throughout 2025 and into 2026.
Several serving governors have dumped opposition parties for the ruling APC in recent months, including Abba Yusuf of Kano State from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), 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 formerly of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Most recently, Taraba State Governor Agbu Kefas also defected from the PDP to the APC, pushing the number of governors under the ruling party to 29.
While many of the defectors have cited internal crises and leadership disputes within opposition parties as reasons for their decisions, the growing movement toward the APC has intensified national debate about the political balance ahead of the 2027 general elections.
General Musa’s open consideration of APC membership further underscores the expanding influence of the ruling party and signals how former top military figures may increasingly play visible roles in Nigeria’s evolving political landscape.