Buhari’s Govt Was Weakened by Sycophants Who Betrayed His Trust, Says Ex-DSS Boss
ABUJA — Former Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS) and current vice-presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) , Lawal Daura, has accused aides of the late former President Muhammadu Buhari of surrounding him with sycophants who betrayed his trust and weakened his administration.
In a candid interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today aired Monday, Daura offered rare insights into the inner workings of Buhari’s administration from his vantage point as the country’s intelligence chief from 2015 until his dismissal in 2018.
Daura pushed back against critics who describe Buhari’s eight-year tenure as Nigeria’s worst, urging “real students of history” to examine the country’s political trajectory between 1995 and 2023 before reaching such conclusions. “Yes, they can say it, but I also want them, the real students of history, to go back from 1995 to 2023, when he exited, and find out which were the worst years. I wasn’t part of the government then,” Daura said.
The former DSS chief maintained that he remained loyal to Buhari throughout his tenure, stating that he stood by him and protected that government. He lamented that everything started to give way after 2018 since he left office, suggesting his departure marked a turning point in the administration’s fortunes. Daura claimed he “took bullets” for the late former president, underscoring his commitment to protecting the administration during his time in office.
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Daura alleged that Buhari was surrounded by individuals who deceived him and betrayed the trust he gave them, taking advantage of the administration. According to him, these individuals did not necessarily mislead the president but instead betrayed the confidence he reposed in them. “I know the details of what they have done,” Daura said, though he declined to name names.
Daura dismissed the popular narrative that he was part of a powerful cabal that wielded influence around Buhari. “No, there is no cabal,” Daura insisted. “Even if there was a cabal, the intelligence chief of a country can never be part of a cabal because the schedule I handled made it necessary for me to be close to the president at all times. And if that closeness is interpreted to mean being part of a cabal, that is a different thing,” he explained.
During the interview, Daura was also questioned about his controversial decision to shut the gates of the National Assembly during Buhari’s administration. He stated that he had no regrets over the action and did not require approval from either the president or acting president to take what he considered necessary security measures. “I don’t need any authority. That has nothing to do with it. I don’t need his permission. I don’t need the permission of the president to do what I think should be done,” Daura said.
Drawing lessons from Buhari’s administration, Daura stressed the need to separate personal relationships and loyalty from competence when making public appointments. He argued that friendship or association with a political leader should not automatically qualify an individual for public office, particularly sensitive positions requiring competence and integrity. “Even if you are to do that, you must also weigh the quality of that person and then maybe place him in an office that befits him or is proportionate to maybe the level of trust you have in that person,” he said. “But in that situation, an unfortunate situation, I would say, it so happened that people were just, you know, trusted,” Daura added.
Daura is currently the vice-presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) alongside Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, who is the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 general election. Speaking on the upcoming election, Daura declared that President Bola Tinubu is “beatable,” claiming the current administration has made “so many errors.” He described Tinubu as a “very amiable person” and a friend but argued that political status does not make anyone immune from defeat. Daura said the APM ticket offers Nigerians a fresh approach to governance, with the party’s motto being to “reset this country.” He identified Makinde’s ability to connect with both younger and older generations as a key advantage, describing the governor as someone who belongs to both the digital and analogue ages. He pledged to be a “very loyal” vice-president to Makinde, with any disagreements between them based on policy and issues rather than personal differences.