2015: Coalition contributed little to Buhari’s victory – Boss Mustapha

• Buhari’s leadership anchored on integrity -Tinubu

• He did his best for Nigeria –Gowon

By Jude Opara, Abuja

Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha on Wednesday claimed that the coalition of political parties that formed the All Progressives Congress (APC) only contributed a fraction of the votes that helped former President Muhammadu Buhari to win the election.

Mustapha who spoke in his keynote speech at the launch of the book titled: “According to the President: Lessons from a Presidential Spokesman’s Experience”, written by Mallam Garba Shehu, the former Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari, said Buhari had prior to the election maintained his strong support base after contesting in three previous presidential elections.

He said that the merger was from the beginning anchored around Buhari due largely because of his popularity and strong political base with several millions of votes always assured.

“I do not intend to stir up any controversy. The mager in 2015, was built to create a Buhari presidency. Let us look at the statistics. In the 2003 election, it was the Obasanjo and Buhari presidential contest where Buhari recorded 2.7 million. In the next election, he got 12.7 million votes. In 2007, it came to 6.6 million, it went back to 12.2 million in 2011.

“When we were conceptualising the merger, what will give us a headstart and obviously, it is at the back of our consciousness that the merger with the Congress for Progressives Change (CPC), though it has only one state, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has six states, All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) three states, and when you sum up the total votes that gave us the presidency in 2015, the aggregate of the total votes was 15.4 million. So, basically, what we brought to the table after the merger outside the Buhari 12.5 million votes was only three million votes”.

He equally stated that with the second book being written by personal aides of General Buhari since he left office about two years ago, attests to the loyalty, commitment and the way Buhari’s aides hold him in high esteem during and even after leaving office.

President Bola Tinubu, who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Sen. George Akume said the event is not merely a celebration of a book, but an opportunity to reflect on the leadership journey former President Buhari, whom he described as one of Nigeria’s most consequential leaders.

Tinubu further said that President Buhari, is a man whose leadership stood on the pillars of integrity, accountability, prudence as well as patriotism. He added that his administration did enough to tackle the spate of insecurity.

“Under his stewardship, Nigeria witnessed a decisive push to confront insecurity, a serious commitment to infrastructure renewal, a renewed focus on self-reliance and a clear effort to sanitize the public sector. These themes resonate strongly in this book and must be appreciated in their full historic dimensions”.

Also in his remarks, former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon said General Buhari did his best for the country; adding that he was not given to materialism.

Gowon said the book underscores the importance of having a strong communication outfit in any administration, because it helps in nation building by always clarifying on the position of government at all times.

“In my years of service as Head of State, I understood and appreciated the important role that communication plays in governance and nation building. A President’s actions, policies and programmes no matter how noble or well-conceived, must be clearly communicated to the citizens/ public. This is where the role of a hardworking and committed presidential spokesman, like Mallam Garba Shehu is most appreciated.

“I know General Buhari to be a staunch believer of the Nigerian project. I know him as a person not inclined to worldly or materialistic overtures. No matter the misconceptions about General Buhari, you can’t take away the fact that he has the firm interest of Nigeria at heart. I also know that he will do everything to keep his integrity intact.

“If the truth must be told, Gen. Buhari is a man of austere lifestyle. I was therefore not surprised when the author (at page 114) of the book narrated an incident that rightly depicted the General Buhari that I know. According to Garba Shehu, shortly after being sworn in as President and Commander in Chief, General Buhari was informed of the need to increase the budget for catering services in the Villa. He then asked what the existing budget was. When they told him it was N10 million for the State House including the Vice President, Guest houses and banquets in honour of visiting leaders, he screamed and asked that even the N10 million be drastically reduced”.

In his remarks, the author and former Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to former President Buhari, Mallam Garba Shehu in giving his experience and what motivated him to write the book noted that journalists are usually being harassed not because they have done anything against the state, but for the mere fact that they always expose the ills of others.

The book reviewer and the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Kashere, Gombe state, Prof. Umaru Pate described the book as compendium of what happened during the sojourn of Garba Shehu at the presidential villa, right from when he served under former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and later former President Muhammadu Buhari.

Pate lauded the author for not only recording his experiences but also for puting them down in the most simplified manner that could easily be understood by all category of readers.

Presenting the book, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, the former Chief of Staff to former President Muhammadu Buhari thanked the former president for finding him worthy to serve the nation, first 1984 as the nation’s representative at the United Nations and Chief of Staff, after the death of former Chief of Staff, Alhaji Abba Kyari.

Gambari described Buhari as a perfect gentleman and leader who had the sense of duty to always put the country first in whatever he does.

Some of the dignitaries that graced the occasion including: former Vice Presidents, Atiku Abubakar and Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, former governor of Osun state, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, former governor of Lagos state, Raji Fashola and former SGF, Babagana Kingibe, amongst several others.