Makinde Picks Ex-DSS DG Lawal Daura as Running Mate, Says Choice Will Strengthen Security

Oyo State Governor and presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Seyi Makinde, has picked former Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Lawal Daura, as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election.

Makinde announced Daura’s choice on Thursday at the APM national convention held at the Government House in Bauchi, according to a statement by the Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade.

The governor said Daura was deliberately selected to address the security challenges confronting the country, stressing that his administration would prioritise measures capable of restoring safety and stability across Nigeria.

Makinde also said he was prepared to lift millions of Nigerians out of poverty, which he attributed to the impact of poorly implemented policies in recent years. He pledged to work with like-minded politicians to build a better Nigeria ahead of the 2027 elections.

The Oyo governor had declared his presidential ambition on May 14 at a joint mega rally of the Peoples Democratic Party and APM in Ibadan. He said his decision was driven by the need to reset the country and provide Nigerians with a genuine choice about the future.

Daura served as DSS Director-General from July 2015 to August 2018 before his removal following a controversial DSS operation at the National Assembly complex. He later emerged as the African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship aspirant in Katsina State.

The former DSS boss resigned from the ADC on Sunday and announced his decision to join the APM, citing alleged injustice and instability within the party.