The presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Seyi Makinde, has picked the former director-general of the State Security Service (SSS), Lawal Daura, as his running mate in the 2027 general election.

Mr Daura was announced as Mr Makinde’s running mate on Thursday at the APM national convention held at Rilwan Adamu Square in Bauchi.

Mr Makinde, in a statement by Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade, said the governor picked the former SSS boss as his preferred running mate to tackle security threats in the country.

“His Presidential running mate is Alh. Lawal Musa Daura, the former Director-General of the State Security Service (SSS) between 2015 and 2018, whom he said was deliberately chosen to solve the security situation of the country,” the statement said.

“The APM Presidential candidate said that he will work actively with like-minded politicians to ensure a better Nigeria come 2027,” it added.

Mr Makinde, who was also formally elected as the APM presidential candidate at the convention, vowed to lift millions of Nigerians out of poverty, if elected as president.

“Governor Makinde said he’s well prepared to lift the millions of Nigerians out of the poverty level, which has ravaged the land even more in the past three years as a result of poorly implemented policies,” the statement said.

Mr Daura previously served as the SSS director-general between 2015 and 2018.

The former SSS boss was sacked by then acting president Yemi Osinbajo following reports that the agency, alongside the police, locked members of the National Assembly and obstructed the Senate leadership from gaining access to the Chambers despite having a scheduled meeting.

“AgP Yemi Osinbajo has directed the termination of the appointment of the DG of the DSS, Mr Lawal Musa Daura,” Mr Osinbajo’s spokesman, Laolu Akande, tweeted at the time. 

“Mr Daura has been directed to hand over to the most senior officer of the State Security Service until further notice,” he stated.