A longtime ally of former President Muhammadu Buhari, Farouk Aliyu, has disputed recent claims by former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, regarding President Bola Tinubu’s role in Buhari’s 2015 election victory.
Mustapha, speaking during a book launch in Abuja on Wednesday, had argued that Tinubu did not make Buhari president.
According to him, Buhari already had an established support base of 12 million votes, and the merger of legacy parties that formed the All Progressives Congress (APC) only added around three million more votes.
However, Aliyu who was a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, disagreed with Mustapha’s assessment, stating that while Buhari had a consistent support base, it was never enough to secure a presidential victory without the 2015 alliance with Tinubu.
“My senior brother, Boss Mustapha, certainly got it wrong, because I can’t even remember where he was at that time,” Aliyu said.
Aliyu emphasised that Tinubu played a vital role in Buhari’s emergence as the APC presidential candidate and eventual winner of the 2015 election.
He recalled serving as the returning officer for Buhari during the APC primary in Lagos and highlighted Tinubu’s behind-the-scenes support during that process.
Aliyu credited Tinubu with helping Buhari secure the APC ticket and win the election, saying, “Tinubu assisted, contributed, and helped Muhammadu Buhari to get the ticket and by extension win the election.”
He also rejected claims that Buhari did not repay Tinubu’s support in the lead-up to the 2023 election, arguing that Buhari could have sabotaged the APC’s victory if he wanted to.
Regarding the 2027 general elections, Aliyu assured that Buhari would support Tinubu’s candidacy, emphasising that there was no rift between the two leaders.
He acknowledged the opposition parties’ right to contest elections but warned that the APC was prepared to resist any threat to its dominance, saying, “We will put sand in their garri.”
