The senate will on December 3 screen Christopher Musa, former chief of defence staff, as minister of defence.

Opeyemi Bamidele, senate leader, relayed this in a statement issued by his directorate of media and public affairs on Tuesday.

He said the screening is crucial to strengthening internal peace and national security.

Musa’s nomination followed the resignation of Mohammed Badaru, former minister of defence, over health concerns.

President Bola Tinubu transmitted Musa’s name to Godswill Akpabio, senate president, on Tuesday.

Bamidele said the red chamber is “already in possession of the request of the president and commander-in-chief of the armed forces, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu to screen his defence minister nominee”.

He said the letter “will be read on the floor of the senate on Wednesday” and that the screening will commence immediately in line with section 147 of the constitution.

“We cannot delay such a request especially at this crucial time in the history of our fatherland,” he said.

“We are treating the request as a matter that directly touches the core interest of our nation so that the federal government can sustain its campaigns against bandits, extremists, terrorists and other forces undermining our national security.”

He said the declaration of a state of emergency on national security requires strong collaboration between the executive and legislature.

“The screening of the defence minister nominee is one of the ways to demonstrate such a synergy purely in the national interest,” Bamidele added.