…Says coalition proved incumbents can be defeated
… Alliance birthed APC, reshaped Nigeria’s politics
Daud Olatunji
President Bola Tinubu on Monday recounted how his political alliance with the late former President Muhammadu Buhari culminated in the historic defeat of an incumbent president, Goodluck Jonathan, in the 2015 general election.
Tinubu said the coalition forged ahead of the polls fundamentally altered Nigeria’s political trajectory, proving that a sitting president could be democratically unseated through broad-based mobilisation and strategic cooperation.
The President spoke at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, during the public presentation of Buhari’s official biography, From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari.
According to Tinubu, the partnership between him and Buhari laid the foundation for the formation and rapid expansion of the All Progressives Congress, which went on to defeat the Peoples Democratic Party after 16 years in power.
“Together, we built a broad coalition, campaigned across the country, and proved that Nigeria could chart a new course,” Tinubu said.
“Our movement united diverse interests and achieved a historic victory in 2015 by unseating an incumbent president, thus reshaping Nigeria’s political landscape.”
Buhari, who won the 2015 presidential election, defeated Jonathan, who became the first Nigerian president to lose a re-election bid.
The victory was widely attributed to the merger of major opposition blocs and Tinubu’s political influence in the South-West.
Reflecting on Buhari’s years in office, Tinubu described his predecessor as a leader defined by personal discipline, integrity and simplicity, noting that these values shaped his approach to governance.
“President Muhammadu Buhari left behind a reputation for integrity, a spartan lifestyle, and the belief that public office is a trust and not a windfall,” he said.
Tinubu also highlighted the continued growth of the APC, stressing that the coalition formed in 2014 has evolved into what he described as the fastest-growing political party on the African continent.
“The coalition we built in 2014 is now the fastest-growing political party in Africa today. Its growth continues,” he added.
Outlining what he termed the core pillars of Buhari’s legacy, Tinubu listed humility, security, vision and social justice, noting that the former president prioritised institutional discipline over personal comfort.
“He believed that a leader must first discipline himself before he can discipline a system,” Tinubu said.
On national security, the President said Buhari invested heavily in personnel, platforms and reforms within the armed forces, efforts he noted were designed to outlast media headlines.
“He improved capacities across our armed services and pushed for reforms that endured beyond the headlines,” Tinubu stated.
The biography launch drew top government officials, political leaders and associates of the late former president, underscoring Buhari’s enduring influence on Nigeria’s contemporary political history.
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