BAUCHI, Nigeria — Nigeria’s political landscape ahead of the 2027 presidential election has taken another significant turn as Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde named former State Security Service Director-General Lawal Musa Daura as his vice-presidential running mate on the platform of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM).

Daura was unveiled on Thursday during the APM National Convention held at Rilwan Adamu Square in Bauchi, where Makinde also emerged as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.

The development was confirmed in a statement by the Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade, who said Makinde deliberately chose the former intelligence chief because of the security challenges confronting Nigeria. Daura headed the SSS, also known as the Department of State Services, between 2015 and 2018.

Makinde said his administration, if elected, would place strong emphasis on addressing insecurity, poverty, and economic hardship. He also pledged to work with politicians and other Nigerians who share his vision of improving living conditions and strengthening national security.

Daura’s emergence as Makinde’s running mate represents a dramatic shift in his political trajectory. Earlier in 2026, the former intelligence chief had been seeking the African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship ticket for Katsina State.

However, he left the ADC for the APM only days before his unveiling as vice-presidential candidate. Daura blamed his departure on what he described as injustice and weak leadership within the ADC, following disagreements over the party’s candidate selection process in Katsina State.

Premium Times reported that Daura had previously challenged the process through which the ADC was selecting its candidates, insisting that a credible consensus arrangement or a properly conducted primary should determine the party’s governorship candidate. Two days after indicating that Nigerians should await further developments concerning his role in the APM, he was unveiled as Makinde’s running mate.

The move effectively takes Daura from a state-level governorship ambition to a place on a national presidential ticket as political parties intensify preparations and realignments ahead of 2027.

Makinde’s decision to appoint a former intelligence chief also signals that national security could become a central theme of the APM campaign.

The Oyo governor said Daura’s experience in the intelligence sector informed his selection, arguing that Nigeria requires strong expertise to confront persistent security challenges.

Daura had similarly made insecurity a major issue when he entered the Katsina governorship race earlier this year, criticising the handling of banditry and arguing that meaningful development could not be achieved without adequate security.

Daura remains a prominent but controversial figure in Nigeria’s recent security history. His tenure as SSS Director-General ended abruptly in August 2018 after the agency’s operatives blocked access to the National Assembly in Abuja.

Then-Acting President Yemi Osinbajo ordered Daura’s immediate dismissal following the incident. A subsequent police report accused him of acting without authorisation in connection with the blockade.

His return to the national political spotlight as a vice-presidential candidate is therefore likely to attract renewed public scrutiny of both his security record and his political ambitions.

The Makinde-Daura ticket adds another dimension to Nigeria’s increasingly fluid political environment ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Makinde, who has governed Oyo State since 2019, said he intends to take the experience gained at the state level to the presidency and promised policies aimed at improving welfare, reducing poverty and strengthening security.

With Daura’s rapid movement from the ADC to the APM and his elevation from governorship aspirant to vice-presidential candidate, the development further demonstrates how quickly alliances and ambitions are shifting as political actors position themselves for the 2027 contest.