The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), has narrated how he resisted pressure from senior military officers who wanted him to influence the 1999 Lagos State governorship election against Bola Tinubu, then the candidate of the Alliance for Democracy.

Marwa, who served as the military administrator of Lagos State before the return to civilian rule, said that although the Head of State at the time, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, did not interfere in the electoral process, other members of the military hierarchy were uneasy about Tinubu’s rising popularity and strong pro-democracy record.

According to a statement issued by the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, Marwa spoke on Saturday in Abuja during the public presentation of Buni Boy, a book written by the late legal icon Niyi Ayoola-Daniels.

He explained that the book highlights themes of justice, national duty, and unity values he said have shaped his own public service journey.

Marwa added that the author’s life story offers important lessons on national cohesion and the strength that lies in Nigeria’s diversity.

He urged Nigerians to see diversity as a shared asset that must be protected.

Reflecting on his time as Lagos military administrator, Marwa said he enjoyed overwhelming support from Yoruba residents despite widespread hostility toward the federal military government at the time.

He said this acceptance strengthened his resolve to conduct a credible governorship election.

He recalled: “Although Gen Abdulsalami Abubakar did not interfere in the election, the military hierarchy tried to determine the outcome.

“They were worried about the popularity and strong campaign of then-Senator Bola Tinubu, who had been a vocal NADECO activist opposing military rule.

“They instructed me to stop him from becoming governor. I chose instead to allow a free and fair election, which produced the most popular candidate. The rest is history.”

Marwa said the episode deepened his belief in preserving both Nigeria’s multicultural identity and its democratic values.

Speaking further on the late author, he commended his widow, Mrs Leticia Ayoola-Daniels, for sustaining his legacy through the Buni Yadi Foundation.

He added that the book resonates with him partly because he once governed the old Borno State, where Buni Yadi was located, and also because its themes reflect the resilience of the Nigerian spirit.

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