Former campaign spokesman of President Bola Tinubu in the Southeast, Dr. Josef Onoh, has knocked Boss Mustapha, the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SFG), Boss Mustapha over his assertion that Tinubu’s Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) did not make significant input in Muhammad Buhari’s emergency as President in 2015.
Mustapha, at the launch of a book written by former presidential media aide, Garba Shehu, in Abuja, disparaged the contributions of the opposition parties that merged to form the All Progressives Congress (APC), remarking they brought only three million votes to add to Buhari’s 12 million votes.
Mustapha’s comment did not go well with supporters of President Tinubu who have taken to social media platforms to express their displeasure and described the former SGF as a political neophyte.
Reacting to the former SGF, Onoh, described Mustapha as an expert in chewing bitter kola but a novice in political strategy.
He said the former SGF had limited knowledge of President Tinubu’s influence, reminding him that Asiwaju’s role in the formation of the APC which wrestled power from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) cannot be wished away.
“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 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.” This merger created a formidable opposition platform capable of rivaling the PDP’s national reach at that period,” said Onoh.
Continuing, Onoh reminded Mustapha how Buhari, in spite of his core 12 million northern votes couldn’t win elections in 2003, 2007, and 2011 because of the absence of a national spread as provided by the constitution.
He emphasised that it was Tinubu’s strategic vision and political acumen that saw the APC’s formation to fruition, thus providing Buhari a broader electoral platform that enabled him leverage his voter base while gaining access to the southwest, where Tinubu had unparalleled influence.
“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 Southwest and other regions.
“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 am amused to see the 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 Southwest 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 included strategic planning, campaign financing, and national outreach. 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, 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.
“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.
“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…
“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,” he concluded.
