Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, has faced criticism for downplaying President Bola Tinubu’s role in Muhammadu Buhari’s 2015 presidential victory.
Mustapha stated that no single individual made Buhari president and attributed Buhari’s victory to his established support base of 12 million votes and the APC merger contributing only 3.2 million votes.
The Presidential Aide, Tope Ajayi, Criticized Mustapha’s remarks as a disservice to history, emphasizing Tinubu’s pivotal role in Buhari’s emergence as APC’s presidential candidate and eventual president.
In his remark, the former Presidential Aids to President Buhari, Garba Shehu, clarified that Mustapha’s statement was blown out of proportion and that he didn’t mention Tinubu’s name, saying that the APC merger brought in Southern states that enabled Buhari to meet the constitutional requirement for victory.
Dr. Josef Onoh in his submission stated that Tinubu’s strategic vision and political acumen were crucial in forming the APC, providing Buhari with a broader electoral platform.
In aligning with the submission of Onoh, Farouk Aliyu disagreed with Mustapha’s account, saying that Buhari’s 12 million votes were not enough to secure victory without the alliance with Tinubu.
In placing the senerio in a right perspective, the critics argued that Tinubu played a vital role in Buhari’s victory, both as the APC’s national leader and through his influence in the Southwest.
The 2015 election marked a watershed moment in Nigerian history, with the APC’s victory attributed to the strategic merger of opposition parties.
Mustapha’s remarks sparked controversy, with some defending his statistical analysis and others criticizing his perceived attempt to downplay Tinubu’s contributions.
