“Buhari Built the Foundation, Tinubu Carries the Baton — Boss Mustapha”

Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, has commended the administration of the late President Muhammadu Buhari for laying what he described as a strong structural foundation for Nigeria’s long-term development.

Speaking on Wednesday, July 9, during the public presentation of a book titled “According to the President: Lessons From A Presidential Spokesman’s Experience” authored by Buhari’s former media aide, Garba Shehu, Mustapha highlighted the disciplined leadership and institutional reforms introduced under Buhari’s administration.

He noted that the late president allowed state institutions to function independently and established governance frameworks intended to guide successive administrations.

“The baton of leadership has passed, but the relay of reform continues,” Mustapha said, acknowledging President Bola Tinubu’s continuation of the reform agenda initiated by his predecessor. He emphasized the importance of continuity in governance, asserting that national development must be a cumulative process built across administrations.

Addressing political narratives surrounding Buhari’s rise to power, Mustapha pushed back against claims that President Tinubu was solely responsible for Buhari’s victory in the 2015 presidential election. He argued that Buhari’s widespread popularity and integrity had long positioned him as a formidable political figure.

“Before 2015, Buhari had already amassed over 12 million votes in earlier elections. The merger of the legacy parties brought about 3.2 million additional votes, but Buhari’s base was always strong,” Mustapha explained.

He cited Buhari’s electoral performances dating back to 2003, where he recorded 2.7 million votes, rising to 6.6 million in 2007, and 12.2 million in 2011. By the 2015 election, Buhari garnered 15.4 million votes, which Mustapha attributed primarily to his personal appeal and credibility.

In a show of support for Mustapha’s claims, former presidential aide Lauretta Onochie also took to social media to reinforce the argument that Buhari’s emergence in 2015 was the result of his longstanding popularity and not due to any single individual’s backing.

Onochie referenced historical headlines and statistics to back her position, insisting that the narrative attributing Buhari’s presidency solely to Tinubu was misleading.

“The facts speak for themselves. Buhari’s consistency and national stature won him the presidency,” she stated, adding that myths about his emergence had reached their “expiry date.”

Mustapha concluded by noting that Buhari’s legacy would be remembered for institutional reforms and the groundwork laid for sustainable development across multiple sectors of the Nigerian economy