The All Progressives Congress (APC) has officially signaled the entry of the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (retd), into the arena of partisan politics. This follows his appointment as a member of the party’s high-powered 73-member Central Coordination Committee for the upcoming 2026 National Convention.
Musa, the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff who retired from active military service in October 2025, appears at number 71 on the committee list released on Monday by the APC National Working Committee (NWC).
The move is being interpreted by political analysts as a strategic positioning of the retired General, amid intensifying speculation that he may be considered as a potential running mate to President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general elections, potentially replacing the incumbent Vice President, Kashim Shettima.
General Musa’s inclusion in the convention committee follows his recent public declaration of loyalty to the ruling party. In a televised interview on Channels TV, the retired General expressed his desire to join the APC and fully support President Tinubu’s administration.
“The APC has given me the platform to present myself right from when I was CDS till date, so why not? Mr. President needs all the support. I will give him all my support, including moving forward to a second term,” Musa stated, though he noted at the time that he was yet to formally register as a card-carrying member.
The Central Coordination Committee is led by the Governor of Imo State and Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, Hope Uzodimma. He is joined by Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, as Vice Chairman, and Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, as Secretary.
The star-studded committee also features the “who’s who” of the APC, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, and former National Chairmen Adams Oshiomhole, Abdullahi Adamu, and Abdullahi Ganduje.
**Convention Timetable**
Alongside the committee appointments, the APC released a revised schedule for its internal transitions. Ward congresses are set to commence on February 18, 2026, culminating in the National Convention scheduled for March 27 and 28.
In a move to encourage inclusivity, the party announced that female aspirants, youths, and persons living with disabilities (PWDs) will be granted a 50 per cent discount on nomination fees.
The party further clarified that while Ekiti, Osun, Rivers states, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are excluded from the initial congresses due to existing legal or administrative schedules, they will be permitted to elect and send delegates to the National Convention in March.
The formal induction of General Musa into the party’s top-tier planning committee is expected to further stir the waters of 2027 succession politics within the ruling party.
