Tinubu Delivered 2015 Presidency To Buhari-Onanuga
The Presidency has credited President Bola Ahmed Tinubu with playing a pivotal role in the emergence of Muhammadu Buhari as Nigeria’s president in the 2015 general election, saying former President Goodluck Jonathan lost the race after failing to secure vital support from the South-West.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, made the assertion on Thursday via his official X (formerly Twitter) account. He emphasized that before any debate on Tinubu’s political influence in 2015 can be meaningfully engaged, Nigerians must acknowledge his strategic contributions to Buhari’s victory.
Citing a statement by former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, Onanuga said Lawal’s remarks only covered a fraction of Tinubu’s overall impact in delivering the presidency to Buhari.
“Tinubu ensured that Buhari clinched the APC presidential ticket by overcoming strong challengers like Atiku Abubakar and Rabiu Kwankwaso,” Onanuga stated. “But more critically, he gave Buhari what he had always lacked — geographical spread and additional votes from the South-West.”
He further noted that Buhari had consistently received around 12 million votes in previous elections, but it was Tinubu’s influence in the South-West that ultimately gave him the edge in 2015 by providing the much-needed spread required for electoral victory.
“Former President Jonathan was aware that the South-West would be the decider in 2015. He spent weeks campaigning there to gain support but failed. Buhari, with Tinubu’s backing, won convincingly,” he added.
The comment comes amid renewed public discourse over the roles played by key political actors during the watershed 2015 elections, which saw the first peaceful transition of power from one civilian government to another in Nigeria’s democratic history.