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

Makinde, who emerged as the presidential candidate of the Allied People’s Movement (APM), was officially announced on Thursday following the party’s National Convention held at Rilwan Adamu Square in Bauchi.

The development was contained in a statement issued by the Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade, in Ibadan.

The selection of Daura as Makinde’s running mate puts a former intelligence chief on the APM presidential ticket as its vice-presidential candidate, with the party expected to place significant emphasis on national security ahead of the 2027 election.

Daura served as Director-General of the SSS between 2015 and 2018 and has extensive experience in Nigeria’s intelligence and security sector.

Speaking after accepting the APM presidential ticket, Makinde pledged to tackle insecurity and address the worsening poverty confronting millions of Nigerians if elected president.

The governor explained that his decision to select Daura was deliberate, stressing that the former intelligence chief possessed the experience required to address the country’s security challenges.

Makinde said he was ready to work with like-minded Nigerians and politicians to build a better country and lift millions of citizens out of poverty.

According to him, the hardship being experienced by Nigerians was partly a consequence of poorly implemented policies in recent years.

He also attached significance to the choice of Bauchi as the venue for the convention, noting that the state was the home of Nigeria’s first Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa.

Makinde described the convention as an important moment in the country’s political history and expressed optimism that Nigerians could achieve a better future through purposeful leadership.

The governor said he would deploy the experience gained from governing Oyo State to the national level if elected president, with a focus on improving citizens’ welfare and addressing the country’s major challenges.

He also appealed to politicians and other stakeholders who share his vision to join forces ahead of the 2027 presidential election.