Omoyele Sowore, the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) and human rights activist, has criticised the Minister of Defence, retired General Christopher Musa, over his assurance that security agencies would remain neutral and ensure free, fair and credible elections in the 2027 general elections.
Sowore accused Musa, a former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), of being partisan in favour of President Bola Tinubu, questioning his credibility to guarantee the neutrality of security agencies during the forthcoming elections.
The activist made the remarks in a post reacting to Musa’s comments after a meeting with Tinubu at the State House in Abuja on Thursday.
Sowore described the defence minister as a “loudmouth” and accused him of failing in his responsibilities while serving in the Nigerian Army, arguing that his promise of electoral neutrality was questionable.
“This retired loudmouth, Christopher Musa, who failed in his duties as a serving General in the Nigerian Army @HQNigerianArmy, is now here promising free and fair elections in 2027, when he is, in fact, a partisan hack for Tinubu @officialABAT,” Sowore wrote.
He added, “Who exactly do these guys think they are fooling?”
Sowore’s criticism followed Musa’s assurance that Nigeria’s security agencies would conduct themselves professionally and remain impartial during the 2027 general elections, allowing eligible voters to exercise their democratic rights without intimidation.
Musa gave the assurance while addressing journalists after meeting with Tinubu at the State House in Abuja on Thursday. He was accompanied by heads of security agencies and said the meeting was convened to brief the President on the country’s security situation ahead of the forthcoming elections.
According to the minister, Tinubu had made it clear that he wanted the 2027 elections to be free, fair and credible.
Musa said the security agencies were committed to ensuring that the country remained safe and secure for Nigerians to participate in the electoral process, regardless of their political preferences.
“We must do everything possible to ensure that the country is safe and secure for the citizens to go out and vote, and so we want to assure Nigerians that we are committed,” he said.
“We are determined to ensure that we provide safety and security for all Nigerians. Everyone should come out and vote, vote for whoever they want.”
The defence minister further assured opposition parties and voters that security personnel would not intimidate anyone or interfere with their democratic rights during the elections.
He insisted that security agencies would remain neutral and carry out their responsibilities professionally, regardless of the political parties involved.
“And it’s important for all other political parties to understand that the security forces are going to be neutral,” Musa said.
“So they have nothing to worry about, nothing to be afraid of, and that nobody is going to intimidate them for whatever reasons. We are all professionals. We are fully committed.”
However, Sowore challenged the credibility of the assurance, alleging that Musa was partisan in favour of Tinubu and questioning whether the minister could guarantee the impartiality he had promised.
The activist’s remarks bring renewed attention to concerns about the role of security agencies during elections, particularly their responsibility to protect voters, candidates, political parties and electoral officials without favouring the ruling party or the opposition.
The 2027 general elections are expected to generate heightened political activity, with the conduct of security personnel likely to remain a significant issue in discussions about electoral credibility and the protection of democratic rights.
Musa also disclosed that Tinubu would soon inaugurate a set of new aircraft, saying the development would demonstrate that security remained a priority for the administration.