Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, has dismissed claims by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu that he was instrumental in Muhammadu Buhari’s victory in the 2015 presidential election.
Mustapha, who served under President Buhari, stated that Buhari’s popularity and support base were already firmly established before the formation of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Speaking on recent political developments, he emphasized that Buhari had a loyal base of approximately 12 million voters, primarily from the North, and that the APC merger — credited in part to Tinubu — added only around three million additional votes.
“President Buhari was a political force on his own. His supporters were deeply rooted and consistent even before the APC came into existence,” Mustapha said, rejecting Tinubu’s 2022 campaign claim that he made Buhari president.
The remarks come as political tensions mount within the ruling APC, following increasing defections and realignments. Several of Buhari’s former allies and appointees are reported to have joined a new opposition coalition, which has adopted the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as its platform ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Analysts say Mustapha’s comments reflect growing dissatisfaction among key northern figures within the APC, as power struggles intensify in the lead-up to the next electoral cycle.