Dauda Lawal
Dauda Lawal | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 2, 1965 Nigeria |
| Occupation(s) | Politician, Banker |
| Known for | Governor of Zamfara State |
Dauda Lawal (born 2 September 1965) is a Nigerian politician and banker currently holding the position of Governor of Zamfara State. He was elected during the 2023 Nigerian gubernatorial elections as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), overcoming the incumbent Governor Bello Matawalle who represented the APC.
Lawal possesses extensive experience in the banking sector, having held the role of executive director for the Public Sector North division at First Bank of Nigeria Plc.
Education
He obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in political science from Ahmadu Bello University in 1987, followed by a Master of Science in political science and international relations from the same university in 1992. Additionally, he earned a doctorate in business administration from Usmanu Danfodiyo University, located in Sokoto.
Professional career
Lawal began his professional journey in 1989 as a political education officer with the Agency for Mass Mobilization for Social and Economic Reliance Nigeria. That same year, he took on the position of assistant general manager at Westex Nigeria Limited. In 1994, he worked at the Nigerian Embassy in Washington, D.C., initially as assistant consular officer and subsequently as chief protocol officer. His tenure at First Bank of Nigeria Plc started in May 2003 as a relationship manager within commercial banking. Over time, he advanced through several roles including senior manager, business development manager, principal manager, assistant general manager, deputy general manager, and group head for public sector. From October 2010 to September 2011, Lawal served as executive vice president for Public Sector North before being promoted to executive director for the same division in September 2012.
Political career
In 2018, Lawal participated in the APC primary election for Zamfara State governor but was defeated by Mukhtar Shehu Idris. He later won the PDP nomination for governor in 2022 and went on to defeat incumbent Bello Matawalle in March 2023. This win was notable as it marked the PDP’s first governorship victory in Zamfara since 1999; previous elections had been dominated by parties that eventually merged into the APC. Notably, Matawalle ascended to governorship in 2019 following a Supreme Court ruling favoring PDP but switched allegiance to APC in 2021.
During his inaugural year as governor, Lawal completed several critical infrastructure initiatives across the Local Government Areas of Bakura, Maradun, Gummi, Bukkuyum, and Maru.
Corruption Allegations
The Nigeria Public Transparency Initiative Group (NPTIG) has called on federal authorities and anti-corruption agencies to investigate approximately $40 million purportedly connected to Dauda Lawal during his tenure as Executive Director at First Bank. Dr. Hamisu Bayero, NPTIG’s national coordinator, urged a comprehensive inquiry by bodies such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), highlighting that banking regulations prohibited Lawal from engaging in business activities while holding office. The organization cautioned against any plea bargain arrangements, warning that such agreements might weaken efforts to ensure accountability in corruption cases involving substantial funds previously seized from Lawal.
Awards
In 2006, Lawal was honored with the FirstBank CEO Merit Award recognizing his exceptional achievements as the "Best Business Development Manager." He was also acknowledged as the "Most Enterprising Staff" in 2009 by the same institution.
More recently, in 2024, he was presented with the Distinguished Award for Project Innovation during the Nigeria Excellence in Public Service (NEAPS) ceremony.