Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), has been described as too busy to be distracted by some so-called “Adamawa APC Bigwigs”.
The SGF who is the Chairman of Presidential Inauguration committee, is said to be currently engrossed with coordinating activities that would lead to a successful transition in May 29, 2019.
There have been claims by some notable Adamawa politicians who have mirrored Mr. Boss as a man obsessed with political ambition come 2023.
To this allegation, a counter set of prominent Adamawa politicians have emerged in Yola, Adamawa state, arguing that the SGF, whose office is the brain-box of the federal government is too occupied with important state issues and cannot yield to discussing political ambitions at this time or rather be distracted.
Umar Duhu, a pioneer Northeast National Vice Chairman of the APC, anchored the SGF defense group, stating that “Mustapha’s focus at this material time is to coordinate the winding up of President Buhari’s first tenure and to set the tone for a second term”.
However, he noted that Mustapha was “well qualified to seek the highest office in the land, by which virtue he is at liberty if he wishes to run with Bola Tinubu in 2023”
The high ranking party man told journalists that “as a matter of fact, both Tinubu and Boss can aspire for any office.
He decried what he described as an attempt to malign SGF Mustapha, warning that the plot would fail given that the man is “too busy to even notice such distractions”.
He also reacted to a publication on SaharaReporters, where “Adamawa APC bigwigs” were said to be moving to scatter Boss Mustapha’s plan to run with Tinubu in 2023.
Duhu argued that the lanky SGF stands tall amongst northern politicians to run or even deputise for anybody in line with the party’s power-shift agreement.
He took a swipe at the so called APC bigwigs, accusing them of trying to create disharmony within the APC fold.
“APC as it is today, is a conglomeration of ideas and interest groups, it is therefore dangerous for someone to think some people are not entitled to its power.
“Therefore, the people that are accusing Boss Mustapha of plans to forge a joint ticket in 2023 should know they are only jumping the gun for now, and are wasting their time given that he is “too busy with stabilizing national affairs”.
“Because Tinubu and Boss have the rights to association, vote and be voted for, as guaranteed by our laws”, he said.
Speaking further, the group posited that SGF Mustapha was eminently qualified to vie for the highest office in the land.
Stating also that Boss was presented to run along with late M.K.O Abiola by the Babagana Kingibe group in 1993.
“Mustapha’s intimidating credentials are there, 30 years ago, the Kingibe group within the Social Democratic Party (SDP), actually presented him initially to Abiola for consideration as presidential running mate.
“It is therefore ridiculous for some spent force politicians to think they can cow such a formidable democratic icon into silence.
“While some of us would ordinarily not want to join issues with anybody, we’ll like to warn that we know everybody; let them not mistake Boss’s simplicity for cowardice”, the group said.
On whether, the SGF would be dropped in the next cabinet, the group categorically counselled President Muhammadu Buhari to ignore the postulation of mischief makers within the party and to stick with the confidence he has built in Mr. Boss over the time.
The group said Mustapha has redefined the office of the SGF and restored its lost dignity.
The Adamawa political group described Boss Mustapha as not only a Legal professional but an astute politician who was able to stabilize the party during its crisis times.
The Adamawa political group also noted that Boss Mustapha has been a member of Federal Republic of Nigeria Constituent Assembly (1988-1989); Chairman, People’s Solidarity Party – Gongola State (1989-1990) and state chairman, Social Democratic Party-Gongola State (1990-1991).
Also, he was a gubernatorial candidate for SDP in Adamawa state in 1991. He was the Deputy National Chairman of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, from 2010 to 2013.
In 2007, he served as the Deputy Director General of the party’s Presidential Campaign Organization. He was a member of NCC and Director Contact and Mobilisation APC (2015) and member, APC Transition Committee (2015) as well as a member, APC Board of Trustees.
As such, the group maintains he is qualified to contest for any political position in Nigeria.
