The Presidency, reacting to recent attempts to downplay President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s role in the emergence of former President Muhammadu Buhari, has revealed the key factor that Tinubu contributed that proved decisive in Buhari’s 2015 electoral victory.
In a terse statement posted on social media platform X, the Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, dismissed attempts to undermine Tinubu’s political contribution, stating that the former Lagos State governor delivered what had long eluded Buhari in his previous presidential bids — “geographical spread and additional votes from the South West.”
“Before we plunge into an unwarranted debate about President Tinubu’s role in the enthronement of the Buhari presidency in 2015,” Onanuga wrote, “here is a report quoting Babachir Lawal attesting to Tinubu’s pivotal role. The former SGF spoke about just one aspect of Tinubu’s role. Tinubu also ensured that Buhari won the APC ticket, defeating the challenges from Atiku and Kwankwaso.”
He continued: “Then, he gave Buhari what had been missing in his constant 12 million votes: geographical spread and additional votes from the South West. President Jonathan knew that the South West would decide the winner of the 2015 election, as he spent weeks in the zone trying to garner support. He failed. Buhari won.”
Onanuga’s remarks were in response to comments made by former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, who on Wednesday dismissed Tinubu’s influence, insisting that Buhari’s political strength predated the formation of the All Progressives Congress (APC). According to Mustapha, Buhari already commanded a loyal base of about 12 million voters, largely from Northern Nigeria, and Tinubu’s efforts through the APC merger merely added approximately 3 million votes.
Mustapha’s statement comes as several former Buhari appointees are reportedly aligning with the emerging opposition coalition, which has adopted the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as its platform ahead of the 2027 elections.
Historical data backs Mustapha’s reference to Buhari’s consistent vote base. In 2003, Buhari ran under the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and secured 12,710,022 votes, losing to President Olusegun Obasanjo. In 2007, again under ANPP, he garnered 6,605,299 votes, finishing second behind Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. In 2011, under the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Buhari polled 12,214,853 votes, losing to President Goodluck Jonathan.
However, in 2015, following the APC merger championed by Tinubu and others, Buhari defeated incumbent President Jonathan with 15,424,921 votes, marking the first time an opposition candidate would unseat a sitting Nigerian president through the ballot.