A prominent ally of former President Muhammadu Buhari, Farouk Aliyu, has dismissed claims by ex-Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, that President Bola Tinubu did not contribute significantly to Buhari’s 2015 election victory.
Mustapha, speaking at a book launch in Abuja on Wednesday, argued that Buhari’s existing 12 million votes—supplemented by three million from the APC merger—were decisive, downplaying Tinubu’s influence.
However, Aliyu, during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, rejected Mustapha’s assertion, insisting that Buhari’s consistent 12 million votes had never secured him the presidency until 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 stated. He accused some individuals in Buhari’s administration of attempting to distort history despite lacking firsthand involvement in the pivotal political negotiations.
Aliyu credited Tinubu with playing a crucial role in Buhari’s emergence as APC flagbearer and eventual election winner, recalling how Tinubu campaigned nationwide with Buhari. He also referenced his own role as returning officer during the APC primary in Lagos, where Tinubu’s behind-the-scenes support proved instrumental. “Tinubu assisted, contributed, and helped Muhammadu Buhari to get the ticket and, by extension, win the election,” he emphasized.
Addressing claims that Buhari failed to reciprocate Tinubu’s support ahead of the 2023 polls, Aliyu argued that Buhari could have sabotaged the APC’s chances if he had wished but chose not to. Looking ahead to 2027, he expressed confidence that Buhari would back Tinubu again, dismissing any notion of a rift between the two leaders.
On the opposition’s growing coalition against Tinubu, Aliyu acknowledged their right to contest but issued a stern warning: “We will put sand in their garri,” signaling the APC’s readiness to fiercely defend its position in the upcoming elections.