Dr. Josef Onoh, a former campaign spokesman for President Bola Tinubu in the Southeast, has strongly criticised former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, over comments that sought to downplay Tinubu’s contribution to Muhammadu Buhari’s 2015 presidential victory.
Mustapha, speaking at the launch of a book by former presidential spokesperson Garba Shehu, claimed that Buhari brought 12 million votes to the All Progressives Congress (APC), while the Tinubu-led Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) contributed just three million. The remark has drawn backlash from Tinubu’s supporters, with Onoh accusing Mustapha of lacking a proper grasp of Nigeria’s political history.
“Boss Mustapha may be an expert in chewing bitter kola, but he is a complete novice in political strategy,” Onoh said in a statement. He maintained that Buhari failed to win previous elections in 2003, 2007, and 2011 despite his consistent northern vote bank, because he lacked national spread — something Tinubu delivered through the APC merger.
Onoh highlighted Tinubu’s central role in uniting the ACN, CPC, a faction of APGA, and defectors from the PDP (the “New PDP”), which helped build the APC into a national platform capable of defeating the then-dominant PDP.
He said Tinubu not only delivered crucial votes from the Southwest in 2015, but also provided campaign financing, led strategic planning, and helped select a viable running mate in Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, balancing the APC ticket to appeal to southern voters.
“The 3.4 million extra votes that pushed Buhari to victory came from Tinubu’s strongholds. His influence turned Buhari’s regional popularity into a national mandate,” Onoh said.
He further challenged Mustapha or any APC member to a public debate on Tinubu’s role, stating that the facts are verifiable and public. “Tinubu’s leadership was the game-changer. Without him, the APC would have been another failed coalition,” he added.
Onoh concluded that attempts to rewrite history for political convenience would fail. “Boss Mustapha should know that dismissing Tinubu’s legacy is not only dishonest but also ignorant of the facts.”
