Abuja, July 9, 2025
Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, has rejected Bola Tinubu’s assertion that he single-handedly secured Muhammadu Buhari’s victory in the 2015 presidential election.
In a statement released today, Mustapha stated clearly that “no individual can claim credit” for Buhari’s rise to power, emphasizing that millions of Nigerians across different demographics cast their votes, backed by many leaders and party structures collectively .
The former SGF’s comments respond to Tinubu’s earlier remarks in 2022, where he said he personally urged Buhari to run again and played a key role in securing his win—an act Tinubu described as vital, saying: **“If not for me…Buhari wouldn’t have become president”** .
The Presidency, represented by spokesman Garba Shehu, has also dismissed Tinubu’s statement as politically motivated. According to Shehu, Buhari’s victory was “delivered by thousands and voted for by tens of millions”, rather than being the achievement of any one individual .
Mustapha highlighted that victory was the result of a broad-based coalition including party leaders, regional stakeholders, and ordinary citizens, not a single orchestrated effort. This follows Buhari’s own response in 2022 that echoed this narrative, noting that “no one should claim he made me president” because it took an entire national movement .
