The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Tomitope Ajayi, has sparked widespread political debate after asserting that former President Muhammadu Buhari would not have secured the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential ticket back in 2014 without the crucial and strategic support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. His comments have reignited discussions on the true dynamics behind Buhari’s rise to power and the pivotal role played by Tinubu in shaping Nigeria’s political landscape.
Ajayi made these statements in direct response to the remarks made by former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, during a book launch event in Abuja. The event was organized to celebrate the release of "Working with Buhari," a book authored by former presidential spokesman Mallam Garba Shehu, which provides an insider perspective on Buhari’s presidency.
During his speech at the event, Mustapha argued that Buhari’s ascent to power was not the result of any single individual’s effort. He pointed out that Buhari already had a solid and loyal political base of about 12.5 million votes before the 2015 general elections. Mustapha claimed that the additional three million votes contributed by the legacy parties that merged to form the APC were enough to secure victory against the incumbent president at the time, Goodluck Jonathan, who ran under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
However, Ajayi, taking to his official X (formerly Twitter) handle @TheTope_Ajayi, firmly rejected Mustapha’s version of events, describing it as a misrepresentation of the political reality on the ground during that period. He argued that Mustapha’s comments downplayed the indispensable role of Bola Tinubu and the political strategy behind the scenes that made Buhari’s candidacy possible.
Ajayi emphasized that Buhari’s journey to Aso Rock began with winning the APC primary election — a feat that, according to him, could not have been achieved without Tinubu’s influence and solid backing. He noted that Buhari’s success in the primary election was the real starting point before even thinking about the general election victory.
“Let’s even leave the general election that then-General Buhari won to become president in 2015. There is no way he would have won the election to be president without first becoming the presidential candidate of his party, APC,” Ajayi wrote on X. This statement highlights the critical importance of party primaries as the foundational battle in Nigerian politics.
Ajayi went further to explain that Bola Tinubu played a decisive and strategic role by mobilizing the South West delegates and convincing key APC governors to support Buhari’s presidential bid during the party’s national convention, which was held at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos in 2014. Without this broad coalition, Ajayi argued, Buhari would have struggled to secure the ticket despite his strong northern base.
Ajayi also reminded the public of Buhari’s earlier unsuccessful attempts to become president in 2003, 2007, and 2011. He noted that even with his consistent 12 million votes from the North, Buhari was unable to clinch the presidency in those elections, underscoring the importance of the additional support he received in 2015.
“Buhari had his 12 million captive Northern votes, yet he lost three presidential elections… Every effort and support that made it possible for President Buhari to win should never be diminished,” Ajayi stated, emphasizing that Tinubu’s contributions should not be understated or forgotten in the historical record.
Ajayi’s remarks have since generated heated discussions among political observers and Nigerians online, with many debating the extent of Tinubu’s influence and questioning how different the country’s political trajectory might have been without his support. Some praised Ajayi for "telling the truth," while others sided with Mustapha’s argument that Buhari’s strong base would have carried him regardless.
As reactions continue to pour in, this debate sheds new light on the internal dynamics and alliances that shaped Nigeria’s 2015 historic election, revealing the complex interplay of political forces behind the scenes.