By Muhammad Mamman
Former Director-General of Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS), Lawal Daura, has announced his intention to contest the 2027 governorship election in Katsina State, citing persistent insecurity and what he described as the poor performance of the current administration.
Mr Daura, a native of Katsina and a key figure in Nigeria’s security architecture for decades, made the announcement during an interview with DCL Hausa on Tuesday. He said he had concluded consultations over his political ambition and would soon disclose the political party on whose platform he intends to run.
“I have been making consultations on the platform to use to contest, and the consultations have been concluded,” he said. “Very soon, I will make the platform known.”
The former intelligence chief was openly critical of the state’s current leadership, arguing that failure in governance should disqualify any administration from seeking another term.
“Why do people serve for one or two terms? If they get it right, fine. But if the reverse is the case, then there is no point in seeking re-election,” he said. “It is obvious the current governor is not capable.”
Mr Daura used a metaphor to underscore his position, likening governance to carrying a fragile load. “It is like putting a load on somebody and adjusting it. If he complains that the load is too heavy, you have to take it down to avoid destroying fragile items,” he said. “For the current administration, we can say thank you for your efforts, but you should take a break because you can’t continue.”
Katsina State, in Nigeria’s northwest, has for years grappled with banditry, kidnappings and attacks on rural communities, making security a dominant issue in local and national politics. Mr Daura’s entry into the race is expected to intensify debate over the state government’s handling of the crisis.
Despite his long association with power and security, Mr Daura said he had never planned to seek elective office.
“I never saw myself coming out to contest,” he said. “I admire politics, but I only participated from the background.”
His declaration adds a high-profile contender to what is expected to be a closely watched governorship race as political alignments begin to take shape ahead of the 2027 elections.
