Marwa Reveals How Military Leaders Attempted to Block Tinubu’s Emergence as Lagos Governor

By mcebisco On Nov 30, 2025

Buba Marwa, chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and former military governor of Lagos State, has disclosed that military leaders attempted to derail Bola Tinubu’s path to becoming Lagos governor due to his pro-democracy activism.

Speaking at the public presentation of Buni Boy, a book by the late Niyi Ayoola-Daniels, in Abuja on Saturday, Marwa—who governed Lagos from 1996 to 1999—said the military hierarchy ordered him to block Tinubu’s victory in the 1999 election.

“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,” Marwa recounted.

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“But 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.”

Marwa, a retired brigadier general, credited the trust of Lagos residents—despite their opposition to military rule—for motivating his commitment to a transparent handover.

He noted that then-Head of State Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar did not interfere, even as higher military officials pressured him.

Reflecting on his 30-year military career, Marwa emphasized the armed forces’ role in fostering national unity.

“In the army, intermarriage and close fellowship pushed us to look past ethnic lines and stand together as one,” he said. “Wherever I stand in this country… I am at home.

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“Tinubu’s Pro-Democracy LegacyTinubu’s activism traces back to the early 1990s. He joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in 1991, campaigning for presidential candidate MKO Abiola.

Elected senator for Lagos West in 1992, he chaired key committees on banking, finance, and appropriations.

The annulment of the June 12, 1993, election propelled Tinubu into NADECO, a coalition demanding Abiola’s recognition as winner and the restoration of democracy.

He fled into exile with other activists, coordinating international efforts against the military regime.

Following Gen. Sani Abacha’s death in 1998, Tinubu returned and won the 1999 governorship under the Alliance for Democracy (AD), marking the dawn of civilian rule.