Buhari Was ‘A Good Candidate’, APC Had No Option Than To Have Him As Presidential Candidate In 2015-Boss Mustapha

The ruling APC had retired General Muhammadu Buhari as its presidential candidate in the 2015 presidential election because it recognized the fact that he was a good candidate who could help the party dislodge the PDP from power, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha, submitted on Wednesday.

He added that the 2013 merger involving the Action Congress of Nigeria, New Peoples Democratic Party, and other stakeholders could only guarantee 3.2 million votes while Buhari’s CPC had brought 12.2 million votes.

Team@orientactualmags.com learned that Mr Boss Mustapha said this in Abuja during the public presentation of a book authored by Mr Garba Shehu titled ‘According to the President: Lessons from a Presidential Spokesman’s Experience’.

Mr. Garba Shehu served as Buhari’s media aide during his presidency.

The former SGF noted that Muhammadu Buhari’s 12.2 million votes were added to the 3.2 million votes brought by other political parties to secure  victory for APC in 2015.

Recall that CPC, ACN, APGA, and NewPDP had come together to form APC  in February 2013, and in the presidential primary election held in Lagos, Buhari had defeated Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, Alhaji Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso  and others, to emerge as the party’s  presidential candidate in 2015.

Mr Mustapha noted that there is a need to recognize former President Buhari’s role in reshaping Nigeria’s political landscape.

‘In early 2013, as the leader of the Congress for Progressive Change, President Buhari formally requested and supported the creation of the CPC Merger Committee, part of a broader coalition-building process that brought together the ACN—the party under which I served as the Deputy National Chairman at that time.

We also had our own transition Merger Committee, the ANPP, and a fraction of others. And elements of the ruling party, through the breakaway New PDP group, his endorsement and participation, along with other party leaders such as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, who was the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the ANPP lent credence, credibility, and direction to the merger, helping to unify it.

This led to significant participation under the banner of the All Progressives Congress. That coalition built and paved the way for the first democratic defeat of an incumbent ruling party in Nigeria’s history. President Buhari’s integrity, national stature, and disciplined messaging were central to that breakthrough.

Not only that, for us in the ACN, I do not intend to stir any controversy, but I will make bold to state this—that the merger in 2013 was midwife to present a Buhari or create a Buhari Presidency’ he said.

The former SGF added that APC had no option than to choose the retired General as its presidential candidate in 2015 being the most practical and strategic decision for the party.

‘Because we looked at the statistics of the votes that were coming to the table. In the 2003 election against Obasanjo, Buhari got 12.7 million votes. In the 2007 election against Yar’Adua, he received 6.6 million votes after the PDP unleashed its machinery.

In 2011, it went up to 12.2 million votes. And when we were considering the merger, we said: What would give us a head start? Obviously, it was in the back of our consciousness that the merger with the CPC—though the CPC at that time had only one state, the ACN had six states, and the ANPP had three states.

But when you sum up the total votes that gave us the presidency in 2015, the aggregate was 15.4 million votes.

So, basically, what we brought to the table, the other parties that were in the merger, in addition to Buhari’s 12.2 million votes, were 3.2 million votes.

I do not intend to create any controversy, but I am saying that was the most realistic and pragmatic thing that we needed to do’ he added-Team@orientactualmags.com  Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08035023079,  08059100286, 09094171980 or get in touch via orientactualmag@gmail.com.  Thank you