Dauda Lawal is the Governor of Zamfara State, one of the states worst affected by banditry. A former diplomat’s aide and First Bank executive, he unseated Governor Bello Matawalle in 2023, became locked in a bitter rivalry with him, and joined the APC in March 2026.12

Career

Lawal was born in Gusau on 2 September 1965 and studied political science at Ahmadu Bello University. He worked at the Nigerian Embassy in Washington and from 2003 at First Bank, rising to executive director for the public sector in the North.1 An anti-corruption group has called on the EFCC to investigate money it alleges was linked to him during his banking career; he has not been charged.1

Elections

After losing the APC primary in 2018, he won the PDP ticket in 2022 and the March 2023 election with 377,726 votes against 311,976 for the incumbent, Matawalle. The Court of Appeal declared the election inconclusive in November 2023, but on 12 January 2024 the Supreme Court restored Lawal’s victory.13

Governor (2023–present)

Banditry, kidnapping and illegal mining dominate Zamfara’s problems, and his relationship with his predecessor, who became Minister of State for Defence in 2023, has been openly hostile. His government reports completed projects in several local government areas.1

Move to the APC

In March 2026 Lawal left the PDP for the APC, citing the PDP’s crisis; he became the APC’s governorship candidate for 2027.24

Personal life

He is married to Huriyya Dauda Lawal.1

References

  1. Dauda Lawal. Wikipedia, accessed October 2026. ↩ ↩ ↩ ↩ ↩ ↩

  2. Zamfara governor Lawal dumps PDP for APC, says party crisis forced decision. Arise News, March 2026. ↩ ↩

  3. Supreme Court affirms Dauda Lawal as Zamfara governor. ICIR, 12 January 2024. ↩

  4. APC gov primaries: Lawal, Sani, Yusuf, Radda, Oborevwori, Chinda, Hamzat, Alli clinch tickets. Leadership, May 2026. ↩