Lawal Daura: From Intelligence Chief To Makinde’s 2027 Running Mate

Paul Orude

Lawal Musa Daura, the former Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), has returned to the political spotlight after being selected as the running mate to Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, the presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), for the 2027 general election.

The presidential candidate of the APM) and Governor of Oyo State, Engr Seyi Makinde, on Thursday announced Daura, as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election at the party’s national convention held at the Dr Rilwanu Sulaimanu Adamu Square, Government House, Bauchi.

Daura is a native of Daura in Katsina State and spent more than three decades in Nigeria’s intelligence community before becoming the country’s top domestic intelligence officer.

He joined the National Security Organisation (NSO), the predecessor of the DSS, in 1982 and rose through the ranks, serving in various capacities across several states and within the security establishment.

In July 2015, former President Muhammadu Buhari appointed him Director-General of the DSS, replacing Ita Ekpeyong.

As DSS director-general, Daura was responsible for coordinating the country’s domestic intelligence and counter-intelligence operations. His tenure, however, was also marked by controversies, particularly over the activities of the agency.

He was removed from office on August 7, 2018, by then Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, following the controversial takeover of the National Assembly by security operatives.

After leaving the DSS, Daura largely stayed away from frontline partisan politics. He later became involved in political activities and began advocating for greater participation in politics, particularly in his home state of Katsina.

His selection as Makinde’s running mate now marks a major step into electoral politics.

As the APM unveiled Daura at its national convention in Bauchi, Makinde was also formally presented as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 election.

The choice of Daura gives the APM ticket a strong security and intelligence background, with Makinde bringing his experience as a two-term governor of Oyo State and Daura offering decades of experience in Nigeria’s security establishment.

For the APM, the combination is expected to strengthen its campaign message on national security, governance and the need for a different approach to Nigeria’s security challenges.