A civil society organisation, Musawah for Youth and Development Initiative, on Thursday cautioned former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, against what it described as unguarded remarks directed at the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa.
The group said Sowore’s comments about the minister’s proposal to strengthen Nigeria’s border security were disrespectful and capable of undermining public confidence in national security leadership.
Speaking at a press briefing in Kaduna, the National Coordinator of the initiative, Ambassador Polycarp Gankon, criticised Sowore’s choice of words, describing them as irresponsible and unbecoming of a public figure.
The briefing was held at the organisation’s headquarters along Yakowa Way, adjacent to Ahmed Musa in Kaduna State.
Gankon said, “His choice of words against the Minister of Defence shows how disrespectful, irresponsible, parochial and rude he can be. Little wonder he cannot achieve his leadership aim.”
He questioned the motive behind the remarks, alleging that serious national security discussions were being reduced to political theatre.
“Or is there something Sowore is benefitting when serious national security discussions are reduced to political theatre designed primarily for social media attention?” he asked.
The group lamented that the comments were made at a time Nigerian troops were risking their lives battling terrorism and banditry across different parts of the country.
“At a time when Nigerian soldiers are risking their lives daily in the fight against terrorism and banditry, why would public commentators ridicule national security discussions instead of supporting efforts to strengthen them?” Gankon queried.
He further criticised the activist, saying his conduct suggested a lack of seriousness about governance.
“It is unfortunate that Sowore has refused to be serious in his life, always behaving like a street charlatan who does not understand governance, yet he wants to be president of over 250 million Nigerians,” he said.
Gankon also reacted to comments allegedly made by a group identified as Arewa Youths, led by Abdul Dan Bature, which called for the removal of the Defence Minister over rising insecurity.
According to him, the remarks by both Sowore and the group had fuelled misinformation and unnecessary politicisation of a sensitive national issue.
He defended Musa’s record in the military, noting that the minister had spent decades serving the country in various operational and strategic roles in the Armed Forces.
“General Christopher Musa is not a social media personality. He is a career military officer who has devoted decades of his life to the defence of Nigeria,” Gankon said.
He added that public communication by security leaders should not be misinterpreted as attempts to gain social media attention.
While acknowledging that criticism was part of democracy, the group urged commentators to ensure their statements were responsible and constructive.
“For Dan Bature, the so-called Arewa Youth leader, we advise that you should join others to support the minister in his quest to restore peace across communities in Nigeria instead of joining forces against him,” he said.
He added that the North was facing multiple security challenges and needed unity rather than distractions.
Gankon also said President Bola Tinubu’s decision to appoint Musa as Defence Minister after serving as Chief of Defence Staff reflected the President’s confidence in his ability to tackle insecurity.
The group maintained that Nigeria’s security challenges were too serious to be trivialised through sensational commentary or politically motivated attacks.
It therefore called on public commentators, activists and political actors to approach discussions on national security with patriotism and a sense of responsibility.
