Tinubu didn’t make Buhari president in 2015, says Boss Mustapha

Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha on Wednesday played the devil’s advocate by dismissing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s role in the emergence of Muhammadu Buhari as president in 2015.

He insisted that Buhari’s victory was anchored primarily on his personal political capital and not on Tinubu’s support.

Speaking at the public presentation of “According to the President: Lessons from a Presidential Spokesperson’s Experience,” a memoir by former presidential spokesperson Garba Shehu, Mustapha challenged the
widely held belief that Tinubu played a pivotal role in Buhari’s electoral success.

According to him, Buhari entered the 2015 presidential race with a pre-existing and formidable voter base of over 12 million, while the contribution of the other legacy parties that formed the APC—chiefly Tinubu’s Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) added only about 3 million votes to the winning tally.

“When you sum up the total votes that gave us victory in 2015, the aggregate was 15.4 million. Buhari already had 12.2 million of those. What the other parties brought to the table—combined—was 3.2 million votes,” Mustapha said.

But observers were quick to dismiss Mustapha’s claim as ungracious and self-serving , recalling that Buhari stumbled and failed from election to election before the All Progressives Congress, APC,
coalition woven together by Tinubu and others gave him victory in 2015.

They also pointed out that Buhari would have lost that election without the APC coalition, given that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, final tally of 12, 853, 562 votes bested his famed pre￾coalition 12.2 million votes in the 2015 election.

Along with the direct political jab at the Tinubu camp, Mustapha commended former President Buhari
for laying the foundation for the reforms now being pursued under President
Tinubu’s administration.

Representing President Tinubu at the event, current SGF Senator George Akume delivered a message in which the president acknowledged Buhari’s legacy and emphasized continuity.

“Nation building is a relay,” Tinubu said. “The effort of one administration lays the foundation for the next. In this regard, I appreciate the effort of President Buhari and assure Nigerians that the
reform-oriented path will be sustained, consolidated, and strengthened under this administration.”

Also, in attendance was former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (retd), who praised Buhari’s calm and
disciplined leadership throughout his eight-year tenure.

Former Chief of Staff to the President and former Permanent Representative to
the United Nations, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, took the opportunity ofthe occasion to call for a more rigorous and thoughtful process in selecting future Nigerian leaders, both at the presidential and gubernatorial levels.

Former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who led a strong delegation of former Buhari administration officials (2015–2023), described Garba Shehu as a loyal and consistent professional who
played a crucial role in shaping the Buhari administration’s message during challenging times.
Osinbajo said the book is more than a memoir; describing it is a record of
history written from the trenches of governance.

Femi Adesina, former Special
Adviser on Media and Publicity to President Buhari, praised Shehu’s discipline and calm under pressure.

He noted that while there were difficult days, Garba never lost his sense of humour or loyalty to the president, describing him as a steady hand, and
that the book reflected that steadiness.

Other prominent attendees included former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; former Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; former Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika; former Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige; former Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief
Timipre Sylva; former Finance Minister, Zainab Ahmed; former presidential media adviser Ima Niboro; former APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole; and former Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele.

Also present were current and former governors, including Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Nasir el-Rufai (Kaduna), and Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), as well as key figures in Nigeria’s media industry, led by Thisday/Arise chairman, Nduka Obaigbena.

Garba said the book offered a detailed insider account of his years as presidential spokesperson and serves
as both a historical record and a guide for future government communicators.

Rich in anecdotes and reflections, he explained that the memoir captures the challenges, triumphs, and lessons of navigating public communication at the highest level of Nigerian governance. [Keeping them Honest]

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