Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has dismissed claims that President Bola Tinubu was primarily responsible for former President Muhammadu Buhari’s emergence in 2015, insisting that former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, played a more decisive role.
Eze, a member of the APC Legacy Media Team, issued a statement on Tuesday in response to remarks attributed to Temitope Ajayi, Senior Special Assistant to President Tinubu on Media and Publicity. Ajayi had claimed on social media that Buhari would not have won the APC presidential primary in 2014 or the 2015 election without Tinubu’s intervention, despite Buhari’s consistent “12 million captive Northern votes” from previous elections.
Eze described Ajayi’s assertions as “a figment of his infantile imagination,” adding that they were “a fairy tale, a false narrative that should be disconnected by right thinking Nigerians.”
He emphasized that Amaechi was “an undisputed factor in the history book of top brass Nigerians that worked towards the emergence of Muhammadu Buhari as candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the eventual winner at the presidential polls.”
Eze explained that aside from serving as Director-General of Buhari’s presidential campaign, Amaechi raised crucial funds and intervened at a critical moment when Buhari was on the verge of losing the 2014 APC primary. He noted that even Boss Mustapha, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, could attest to Amaechi’s pivotal role.
“I cannot remember seeing Temitope Ajayi near APC activities during both the 2014 Presidential Primaries that elected Buhari as the APC Presidential candidate for him to know who made Buhari President or who contributed more in his emergence,” Eze stated.
Eze further alleged that Tinubu had initially attempted to stall Buhari’s emergence unless he was named running mate, a move opposed by Amaechi and others who argued that a Muslim-Muslim ticket would have been politically risky against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the time. According to him, this opposition paved the way for Yemi Osinbajo’s nomination as Vice President.
He claimed Tinubu has since viewed Amaechi as a political adversary, working to undermine him by blocking his appointment as Chief of Staff or Secretary to the Government of the Federation, roles Eze said were originally meant for Amaechi after Buhari’s victory.
Eze also recalled that Tinubu once praised Amaechi for his role in Buhari’s election, calling him “the General of Revolution” and declaring that he is “not a chicken but Eagle.”
Eze concluded that Ajayi’s comments ignored key historical facts and sought to rewrite the events leading to Buhari’s rise to power.
