Meet Seyi Makinde’s new running mate, Lawal Daura: His career, achievements and controversies

• Lawal Daura, a former Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), has been picked as Seyi Makinde’s new running mate for the 2027 presidential election.

• Daura spent decades in Nigeria’s intelligence service and headed the DSS from 2015 to 2018, with his tenure involving major security operations as well as several controversies.

• His career ended abruptly after the 2018 National Assembly siege, but he has now returned to frontline politics, bringing his extensive security experience and a contentious public record to Makinde’s ticket.

The 2027 presidential race has taken another major turn after Oyo State Governor and Allied Peoples Movement (APM) presidential candidate Seyi Makinde replaced his earlier running mate, Ibrahim Adamu Bala, with former Department of State Services (DSS) Director-General Lawal Musa Daura.

Makinde unveiled Daura at the APM National Convention held at Rilwanu Adamu Square in Bauchi State on August 13, 2026, according to a report by Pointblank News citing a statement from Oyo State Commissioner for Information Dotun Oyelade.

Daura brings decades of intelligence and security experience to a presidential ticket that is expected to make insecurity one of its major campaign issues.

His record, however, is also complicated. Here are the major things to know about him 

Lawal Musa Daura was born on August 5, 1953, in Daura, Katsina State.

He attended Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, between 1977 and 1980 and later undertook professional training, including at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru.

Daura joined Nigeria's intelligence service in 1982, when it was still operating under the National Security Organisation. 

Following the restructuring of the country's intelligence architecture in 1986, he continued his career in the State Security Service, now known as the DSS.

He rose through the ranks to become a director and served in several important postings across the country.

Daura served at various times as State Director of Security in Kano, Sokoto, Edo, Lagos, Osun and Imo states.

He was also Deputy Director of the Presidential Communication, Command and Control Centre at the Presidential Villa in Abuja between 2003 and 2007.

These assignments meant that Daura had experience in both field intelligence operations and the security machinery surrounding the presidency. 

Daura eventually retired from the service in 2013 after reaching the statutory retirement age.

However, his retirement did not last long.

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On July 2, 2015, then-President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Daura Director-General of the State Security Service.

He replaced Ita Ekpeyong, whose tenure was terminated by Buhari. Daura's appointment took effect immediately. 

Daura headed the DSS during one of the most difficult periods in Nigeria's recent security history.

The Boko Haram insurgency remained a major threat, while kidnapping, terrorism and other security challenges continued across the country.

During his tenure, the DSS played a key role in the release of 21 Chibok schoolgirls in October 2016. The agency also led negotiations that helped secure the release of the Dapchi schoolgirls in 2018.

Daura’s experience in intelligence is also the reason Makinde says he selected him for the APM ticket.

According to Pointblank News, Makinde said Daura's experience as a former intelligence chief would bring relevant expertise to his campaign and proposed administration, particularly in tackling Nigeria's security problems.

The Oyo governor has made insecurity one of the central issues of his presidential campaign, and selecting a former head of Nigeria's domestic intelligence service gives his ticket a candidate with direct experience in national security.

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Daura's time at the DSS was also marked by a series of disputes involving other government institutions, politicians and the courts.

Among the controversies reported during his tenure were the: 

• DSS's clashes with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), 

• disputes over security provided to political figures, 

• allegations concerning compliance with court orders, 

• agency's handling of Abdulrasheed Maina, 

• withdrawal of security personnel attached to National Assembly leaders. 

Daura's time as DSS chief came to a dramatic end on August 7, 2018.

On that day, masked DSS operatives barricaded the National Assembly, preventing lawmakers, staff and journalists from entering the complex.

The incident triggered national outrage and raised serious questions about the limits of the security agency's powers.

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo subsequently terminated Daura's appointment with immediate effect and ordered him to hand over to the most senior officer in the service.

Daura was also arrested and questioned over the incident.

An interim police investigation led by then Inspector-General of Police Ibrahim Idris accused Daura of acting unilaterally in ordering the National Assembly blockade and suggested that he might have been acting on behalf of “some highly placed politicians” pursuing selfish political goals.

Daura's reported explanation was that he had acted on intelligence about plans to smuggle dangerous weapons into the National Assembly, but the police report said the intelligence could not be substantiated.

The DSS subsequently denied reports that cash, weapons or permanent voter cards had been recovered from Daura's residence, describing circulating videos making such claims as false. 

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After leaving the DSS, Daura largely stayed away from electoral politics for several years.

That changed in 2026 when he entered the race for the Katsina governorship under the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

He presented insecurity and the country's broader leadership problems as key reasons for entering politics.

Daura eventually lost the ADC governorship ticket to Senator Ahmad Babba Kaita. However, he disputed the suggestion that losing the primary was the reason for his departure from the party.

He subsequently left the ADC and joined the APM in August 2026. 

Daura said his decision to enter politics was driven by concern about Nigeria rather than personal ambition. 

He also criticised dishonesty and deception in politics and said he wanted to contribute to changing the country.

The journey from Nigeria's intelligence establishment to an open electoral contest is a remarkable one for Daura.

As the 2027 election campaign develops, Daura's experience, particularly on security, could become one of the strongest selling points of the Makinde ticket.