Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, has said President Bola Tinubu was not solely responsible for Muhammadu Buhari’s victory in the 2015 presidential election.
Speaking during the unveiling of a new book titled “According to the President: Lessons from a Presidential Spokesperson’s Experience” by former presidential aide Garba Shehu, Mustapha explained that Buhari already had a solid 12.2 million-vote base before the 2015 merger of political parties that formed the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“When you add it all up, Buhari brought 12.2 million votes. The merged parties contributed just about 3.2 million votes to reach the final 15.4 million total. So, no one person made him president,” Mustapha said.
The event, held in Abuja, brought together many former and current government officials, including former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, former Head of State Yakubu Gowon, and former UN Ambassador Prof. Ibrahim Gambari.
In his goodwill message, President Tinubu — represented by current SGF, Senator George Akume — praised Buhari for laying the groundwork for the reforms currently being implemented by his government.
“Nation-building is a relay. Buhari laid the foundation; we will consolidate and build on it,” Tinubu stated.
Former Head of State Yakubu Gowon also praised Buhari’s leadership style, while Prof. Gambari called for deeper reflection on how presidents and governors are chosen in Nigeria.
The book, authored by Garba Shehu, chronicles his time as the official spokesperson to former President Buhari and aims to preserve key lessons for future leaders.