The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Brigadier General Mohamed Marwa (rtd), has revealed how he defied pressure from the military hierarchy to manipulate the 1999 Lagos State governorship election against Bola Tinubu, who was the Alliance for Democracy candidate at the time.
Marwa explained that although the Head of State then, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, did not interfere in the election, some military leaders were worried about Tinubu’s growing popularity and his strong pro-democracy stance.
Marwa, who served as the military governor of Lagos before the return to civil rule, said he was instructed to work against Tinubu’s emergence as governor, but he insisted on conducting a free and fair election.
According to a statement issued by the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, Marwa spoke in Abuja on Saturday during the public presentation of Buni Boy, a book written by the late legal scholar Niyi Ayoola-Daniels.
The book captures themes of justice, duty and national unity, values which Marwa said guided his own life and public service.
He noted that the life of the author offered strong lessons about unity and the strength that Nigeria’s diversity brings.
Marwa urged Nigerians to treat the country’s diversity as a blessing and a collective responsibility that must be protected by all citizens.
The NDLEA chairman also recalled that during his time as military administrator of Lagos, Yoruba people showed him great support despite their strained relationship with the federal government at the time.
He said the encouragement he received from Lagos residents motivated him to ensure a transparent election that produced his successor.
Marwa said, “Even though the Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, did not interfere in the election, the military hierarchy tried to influence the outcome. They were worried about the popularity and strong campaign of Senator Bola Tinubu, who had been a vocal pro-democracy figure with NADECO. They instructed me to stop him from becoming governor. I chose to conduct a free and fair election which allowed the most popular candidate to emerge. The rest is history.”
He added that the experience strengthened his belief in protecting Nigeria’s diversity and democratic values.
Speaking on the book, Marwa commended the widow of the late author, Mrs Leticia Ayoola-Daniels, for preserving her husband’s legacy through the Buni Yadi Foundation.
He said, “The story in this book touches me deeply, not only because I once served as military governor of the old Borno where Buni Yadi was located, but also because it speaks to the true Nigerian spirit.”