Oyo State Governor and presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement, APM, Seyi Makinde, has named former Director-General of the Department of State Services, DSS, Lawal Musa Daura, as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election.
Makinde reportedly unveiled Daura on Thursday, August 13, 2026, during the APM’s elective National Convention in Bauchi, where the Party also completed the process of electing its national officers ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The development marks a significant adjustment to the APM presidential ticket, coming only weeks after the Party initially identified Ibrahim Adamu Bala as Makinde’s running mate.
According to the report, Daura, who recently joined the APM after leaving the African Democratic Congress, ADC, is now set to occupy the number-two position on the Party’s presidential ticket.
The choice of a former intelligence chief gives the APM ticket a strong security and national-governance dimension as Makinde prepares to campaign against the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and other opposition parties in the 2027 presidential contest.
Makinde Says 2027 Is Bigger Than Winning
Speaking at the convention in Bauchi, Makinde said the objective of the opposition should go beyond simply defeating the incumbent Party at the polls.
The Oyo Governor argued that the 2027 election should provide Nigerians with an opportunity to make a meaningful decision about the direction of the country.
He said political parties and candidates would inevitably flood the campaign season with slogans, promises and declarations, but maintained that voters should demand clearer answers and stronger commitments from those seeking their mandate.
According to Makinde, the responsibility before opposition politicians is to offer Nigerians a credible alternative capable of addressing the country’s challenges and protecting the future of its citizens.
“As we approach 2027, therefore, I believe the task before all of us is bigger than winning an election. It is to give Nigerians a real choice about the future of their country,” he said.
The Governor’s position reflects the broader message he has pushed since emerging as the APM’s presidential candidate: that the 2027 contest should be framed around governance and the quality of alternatives available to Nigerians rather than being reduced to a conventional struggle for political power.
Makinde formally declared his presidential ambition in May 2026 under a political alliance involving the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and APM. In his declaration speech, he described the opposition as broader than political parties alone and called for cooperation among opposition forces to provide an alternative at the national level.
Daura’s Security Background
The selection of Lawal Musa Daura brings a veteran security figure into the APM’s presidential campaign.
Daura served as Director-General of the State Security Service, now commonly known as the DSS, between July 2015 and August 2018.
He was appointed to lead the agency by former President, Muhammadu Buhari in July 2015, succeeding Ita Ekpeyong. Contemporary reports said Daura had spent decades within Nigeria’s security establishment before rising to the agency’s top position.
Daura began his career in the security service in 1982 and subsequently served in various capacities, including as a state director of security in several states. He also worked at the Presidential Villa as Deputy Director of the Presidential Communication, Command and Control Centre between 2003 and 2007.
His tenure as DSS Director-General ended in August 2018 when then Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, terminated his appointment following the controversial deployment of security operatives around the National Assembly. The State House said at the time that the action amounted to an unauthorised takeover of the National Assembly.
Daura was subsequently replaced by Matthew Seiyefa in an acting capacity.
His return to active politics therefore adds a former senior intelligence official with extensive experience in Nigeria’s security architecture to the APM’s presidential campaign.
Change From Earlier Running Mate
Daura’s emergence also represents a change from the running-mate arrangement previously associated with the APM ticket.
In July, Ibrahim Adamu Bala had been identified as Makinde’s running mate. Reports at the time indicated that the APM had settled on Bala, a politician from Bauchi State, for the vice-presidential slot.
Bala had also publicly explained his decision to accept the position, describing the nomination as a significant honour for himself and his community.
However, the latest development indicates that his role on the ticket was not intended to be permanent. It was reported that Bala was effectively a placeholder before Daura’s emergence as the substantive running mate.
The change also comes against the backdrop of Makinde’s increasing political engagement in northern Nigeria.
Earlier in July, the Oyo Governor visited Bauchi and held discussions with Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed and leaders of the APM. The discussions focused on issues including security, governance and the future of the opposition ahead of the 2027 elections.
The choice of Daura could consequently be viewed as part of the Party’s effort to broaden the appeal of Makinde’s ticket beyond his political base in the South-West.
APM Faces Bigger 2027 Challenge
The APM will enter the 2027 election as one of the opposition platforms seeking to challenge the political dominance of the APC.
Makinde’s campaign will have to contend with a political environment in which several opposition groups are attempting to build alliances and present alternative candidates to the electorate.
The Governor has repeatedly argued that Nigerians deserve a political contest based on issues, competence and the future of the country.
His selection of Daura could allow the campaign to place greater emphasis on national security, intelligence gathering, public safety and institutional stability, all of which remain major issues in Nigeria’s political debate.
Security has been particularly prominent in Makinde’s recent engagements. During his July visit to Bauchi, he criticised the limitations placed on state governors in dealing directly with security agencies, arguing that governors are often held responsible for insecurity despite lacking direct authority over federal security institutions.
The decision to pair Makinde with a former DSS Director-General could therefore provide the APM with an opportunity to make security expertise a central component of its campaign message.
For the 2027 presidential race, the new ticket now combines Makinde’s experience as a two-term Governor of Oyo State with Daura’s long career in Nigeria’s intelligence and security establishment.
The effectiveness of that combination, however, will ultimately depend on how successfully the APM communicates its message to voters across Nigeria and whether the Party can translate its opposition platform into a competitive nationwide campaign.
With the selection of Daura now announced at the Party’s convention, attention will shift to the APM’s campaign structure, policy agenda and strategy for taking on the major political contenders as Nigeria moves closer to the 2027 general election.