Buba Marwa, chairman of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and former military Governor of Lagos (1996–1999), revealed that military leaders attempted to prevent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu from becoming Governor of Lagos State in 1999 due to his pro-democracy activism with the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO).
Gatekeepers News reports that Marwa spoke on Saturday in Abuja at the public launch of Buni Boy, a book by the late Niyi Ayoola-Daniels. He said that despite opposition to military rule, Lagos residents embraced his leadership and supported his administration.
Marwa said, “Even though the head of state then, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, did not interfere in my conduct of the governorship election, the military hierarchy did.”
“After seeing the then-Senator Bola Tinubu’s strong campaign and popularity, the military hierarchy instructed me to prevent him from becoming Governor because of his pro-democracy activism in NADECO against the military government then.”
“7But I chose to conduct a free and fair election that produced the most popular candidate as governor of Lagos State. The rest today is history.”
He added that his three-decade military career reinforced his belief in national unity, noting that the army’s culture of intermarriage and fellowship encouraged Nigerians to rise above ethnic divisions.
Marwa said, “Wherever I stand in this country, whether among the Ogoni, the Bachama, the Igbo or the Idoma, anywhere at all, I am at home.”
He also recounted Tinubu’s pro-democracy journey. Tinubu joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in 1991, campaigned for MKO Abiola, and was elected senator for Lagos West in 1992.
Following the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, he co-founded NADECO, which advocated for democratic restoration and Abiola’s recognition as the rightful winner.
During the struggle, Tinubu and other activists went into exile but continued the fight through NADECO’s international network.
After Sani Abacha died in 1998, Tinubu returned to Nigeria, entered politics, and was elected Lagos State Governor under Alliance for Democracy (AD) in 1999.
