BY EDMOND ODOK – Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, has rejected claims that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu singlehandedly made General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) President in 2015.
Mustapha who delivered a lecture on President Buhari’s contributions to national development, insisted that it is unfair to continue promoting such narrative because many leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) contributed immensely to the Party’s electoral victory in 2015 and their sacrifices cannot be ignored
The occasion was the public presentation of a book, authored by Garba Shehu, former Senior Special Assistant to President Buhari on Media and Publicity, titled; “According to the President: Lessons from a Presidential Spokesperson’s Experience”.
Clearly the first key political figure of that era to publicly disclaim the notion that Buhari’s presidency was solely Tinubu’s doing, Mustapha disclosed that lining up for the 2015 presidential poll, Buhari’s integrity and discipline were also major contributory factors that brought victory to APC.
Going down memory lane, he explained that as the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) leader, Buhari had, in early 2013, formally requested and backed the creation of a CPC merger committee, part of a broader coalition-building process that brought together the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) faction, and elements of the ruling party through the breakaway “new PDP” group.
He said, “We also had our own transition Merger Committee, the ANPP, and a fraction of others. And elements of the ruling party, through the breakaway New PDP group, his endorsement and participation, along with other party leaders such as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, who was the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the ANPP lent credence, credibility, and direction to the merger, helping to unify different party factions under the banner of the APC.
“That coalition-building paved the way for the first democratic defeat of an incumbent ruling party in Nigeria’s history. President Buhari’s integrity, national stature and disciplined messaging were central to that breakthrough.”
Mustapha, who Chaired the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, further said, “For us in the ACN, I do not intend to stir any controversy, but I will make bold to state this, that the merger in 2013 was midwifed to present a Buhari or create a Buhari Presidency because we looked at the statistics of the votes that were coming to the table.
“In the 2003 election, it was the Obasanjo/Buhari presidential contest where Buhari recorded 2.7 million votes. In the next election, he got 12.7 million votes. In 2007, it came to 6.6 million, it went back to 12.2 million in 2011.
“When we were conceptualizing the merger, what would give us a headstart and obviously, it was at the back of our consciousness that the merger with the CPC, though it had only one state, the ACN had six states, ANPP three states, and when you sum up the total votes that gave us the presidency in 2015, the aggregate of the total votes was 15.4 million.
“So, basically, what we brought to the table after the merger outside the Buhari’s 12.5 million votes was three million.”
On the developmental strides made between 2015 and 2023, Mustapha maintained that some of the reforms embarked upon by the Tinubu administration, including the tax reforms, were started by the Buhari administration.
Recalled that during his visit to Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, on June 1, 2022, to seek delegates’ support ahead of the APC’s presidential primary, Tinubu had openly claimed that he was the mastermind and brain behind making Buhari the president.
On that occasion, he said, “I have been there from the days of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), through the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and which eventually metamorphosed into the APC. I have served for over 25 years and helped many achieve their political ambitions.
‘Your governor, Dapo Abiodun, could not have become governor without God and my support. If not for me that stood solidly behind Buhari and encouraged him to go ahead, he could not have become president.”
Buhari A Listening President – Gowon
Meanwhile, former Head of State, and Chairman of the book launch, General Yakubu Gowon (rtd) has described General Buhari as a listening president, who was accessible to many.
Speaking at the event, General Gowon said, “I must commend General Buhari publicly for his disposition during his tenure. He made himself very accessible to me and was always willing to listen to every advice or suggestion one may proffer at any point in time.
“During his eight-year presidency, Buhari tried his best to contend with the overwhelming problems, one of such was the security situation in Nigeria.
“The officers and men of the Nigerian Armed Forces and the other security agencies must be commended for their efforts and sacrifices. I know General Buhari to be a staunch believer of the Nigerian project.”
Specifically, the Elder Statesman said; “I know him as a person not incline to worldly or materialistic overtures. No matter the misconceptions about General Buhari, you can’t take away the fact that he has the firm interest of Nigeria at heart.
“I also know that he will do everything to keep his integrity intact”.
The book presentation, held at the Yar’adua Centre in Abuja on Wednesday, had in attendance important dignitaries including immediate past Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume; former Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi; as well as former Anambra State Governor and Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige among many others.
