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Former Campaign Spokesman of President Bola Tinubu in the South East, Dr. Josef Onoh refuted former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha’s claim that the President did not make significant input in crowing former President Mohammad Buhari as President of Nigeria in 2015.
Mustapha had argued that Tinubu’s contribution was limited, claiming that Buhari’s 12 million votes were the primary driver of the APC’s victory.
But Onoh in a rebuttal stated that Boss Mustapha might be an expert at chewing bitter kola but a novice in political strategy and has a limited knowledge of President Tinubu’s influence and provided him with free political education by starting that one of President Tinubu’s most significant contributions to Buhari’s 2015 and 2019 victories was his instrumental role in the formation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2013.
Prior to this, Buhari’s political vehicles, such as the ANPP and CPC, lacked the national structure and southern alliances needed to challenge the PDP’s dominance.
President Tinubu, as the leader of the then Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), a party with a strong base in the South-West, spearheaded the merger of several opposition parties, including the CPC (Buhari’s party), ACN, a faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), and a segment of the PDP known as the “New PDP.”
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This merger created a formidable opposition platform capable of rivaling the PDP’s national reach as at that period.
President Tinubu’s strategic vision and political acumen were critical in uniting these disparate groups, overcoming regional and ideological differences to form a cohesive party.
The APC’s creation provided Buhari with a broader electoral platform, enabling him to leverage his northern voter base while gaining access to the South-West, where President Tinubu’s influence was unparalleled.
The Southwest, with its significant population and economic importance, particularly in Lagos, was a crucial battleground. President Tinubu’s ability to deliver votes from this region was a game-changer, as it addressed the critical shortfall in Buhari’s previous campaigns.
In the 2015 presidential election, Buhari, running as the APC candidate, secured 15.4 million votes, defeating the then incumbent PDP candidate, former President Goodluck Jonathan, who polled 12.8 million votes. While Buhari’s core 12 million votes from the northern regions as touted by Boss Mustapha remained a cornerstone of his support, the additional 3.4 million votes that secured his victory were largely attributable to president Tinubu’s influence in the South-West and other regions.
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The South-West, comprising states like Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, and Ekiti, had traditionally supported the PDP in previous elections, such as in 2011 when former president Jonathan won significant votes in the region.
However, in 2015, President Tinubu’s mobilization of the Southwest through the APC flipped key states in former President Buhari’s favor. Without this southern support, Buhari’s 12 million northern votes would have been insufficient to meet the constitutional requirement of a national spread, as evidenced by his losses in 2003, 2007, and 2011.
Boss Mustapha, if in doubt, can go and verify.
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President Tinubu’s role extended beyond vote delivery. He played a key part in the APC’s primary elections, ensuring Buhari emerged as the party’s candidate despite competition from other heavyweights like Atiku Abubakar and Rabiu Kwankwaso If Boss Mustapha doubts my submissions, I challenge him or any member of the coalition to go and verify, then face me for national debate with facts.
President Tinubu’s continued support was crucial in maintaining the APC’s dominance in the Southwest, even amidst internal party challenges.
In 2018, several prominent APC members, including Atiku, then Senate President Bukola Saraki, and 16 other Senators, defected to the PDP, threatening the party’s cohesion.
President Tinubu’s steadfast loyalty and organizational efforts ensured that the Southwest remained a reliable APC stronghold.
Today I’m amused to see same characters swimming like fishes in the same pond in unity hoping to drown the fisherman but like the fate that awaits most fishes in the sea, when the fisherman comes fishing they will all end up in his net grasping for breath once they are outside water.
May I remind Boss Mustapha that President Tinubu’s political network, including governors, local leaders, and grassroots organizations, played a critical role in voter mobilization and campaign coordination.
His ability to maintain party unity in the South-West despite defections was instrumental in securing the votes needed to meet the 25% threshold in two-thirds of Nigeria’s states, a requirement Atiku struggled to fulfill due to his weaker southern support.
Also, beyond electoral votes, President Tinubu’s contributions including strategic planning, campaign financing, and national outreach.
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As a seasoned politician and political godfather in the Southwest, President Tinubu provided substantial financial resources to the APC’s campaigns in both 2015 and 2019.
I dare anyone to prove me wrong, President Tinubu is alive, and if anyone is in doubt of what I’ve said, can verify from him.
The 2015 election, was described as the most expensive in African history, required significant funding for logistics, media, and voter outreach, much of which was facilitated by President Tinubu’s network.
His influence also extended to negotiations with other political actors, such as the “New PDP” defectors, who bolstered the APC’s national presence.
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President Tinubu’s strategic foresight was evident in his ability to navigate Nigeria’s complex ethnic and religious dynamics. By aligning his then ACN with Buhari’s then CPC and other parties, he created a coalition that bridged the North-South divide, a critical factor in defeating the PDP’s entrenched power.
His decision to support Osinbajo as Buhari’s running mate in 2015 addressed concerns about regional and religious balance, making the APC ticket more palatable to southern voters.
Finally, While Muhammadu Buhari’s consistent 12 million votes from the northern regions were a cornerstone of his electoral strength, his victories in the 2015 and 2019 Nigerian presidential elections would not have been possible without the strategic, electoral, and organizational contributions of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
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Tinubu’s leadership in forming the APC, delivering the Southwest’s votes, ensuring party unity, and providing financial and strategic support transformed Buhari’s regional popularity into a national mandate.
So the Presidency has never been in competition of figures with Boss Mustapha or a few disgruntled Buhari loyalists rather we are focused on facts devoid from propaganda and as much as we appreciate the 12 million votes former President Buhari brought to the merger, the fact remains that President Bola Tinubu was the magician that turned votes into victory and conferred upon former President Muhammadu Buhari the prestigious and noble title ”
The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria . And an everlasting legacy to be addressed as a former President.
Clearly, Boss Mustapha ought to know that being an expert in chewing bitter kola doesn’t make him an expert political strategist like President Tinubu.
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