At the launch of According to the President: Lessons from a Presidential Spokesperson’s Experience by Garba Shehu, Nigeria’s immediate past Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, delivered a lecture extolling the structural reforms instituted under former President Muhammadu Buhari. The event, held at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja, explored Buhari’s contributions to national development across multiple sectors.
Addressing the audience on the theme “President Muhammadu Buhari’s Contribution to National Development,” Mustapha traced Buhari’s evolution from military commander and oil-sector reformer to two‑term democratically elected president. He argued that Buhari’s true legacy lay not in fleeting headlines, but in the resilience of the institutions he strengthened.
“President Buhari governed with duty rather than drama. He was driven by principles, not applause,” Mustapha observed.
Among the administration’s landmark achievements, Mustapha highlighted:
Petroleum Industry Act (PIA): Comprehensive overhaul of the nation’s oil and gas regulatory framework.
Infrastructure Roll‑Out: Major investments in roads, rail and ports.
Military Modernisation: Procurement and redeployment of assets to combat insurgency.
Social Investment Programme: The National Social Investment Programme (NSIP), designed to alleviate poverty.
Sectoral Reforms: Advances in agriculture, power, education and the digital economy.
Turning to Nigeria’s COVID‑19 response, which he chaired as head of the Presidential Task Force, Mustapha praised the administration’s co‑ordinated, evidence‑based approach during unprecedented global uncertainty.
He also underscored the importance of long‑term planning instruments introduced under Buhari:
Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP)
Nigeria Agenda 2050
Medium‑Term National Development Plan (2021–2025)
These frameworks, he suggested, offer a blueprint for continuity of reform beyond any single presidency.
On the transition to President Bola Tinubu’s government, Mustapha commended the new administration for building upon existing reforms. He noted, in particular, the expansion of electricity deregulation, enhanced civil‑service performance management, and tax‑administration reforms. The transformation of the Central Delivery Coordination Unit into the Central Results Delivery and Coordination Unit, he said, exemplifies the ruling All Progressives Congress’s commitment to systemic governance rather than personality‑driven politics.
Mustapha also welcomed the Supreme Court’s 2024 affirmation of local‑government financial autonomy, describing it as a vindication of Buhari’s Executive Order 10. He characterised Tinubu’s approach to “electricity federalism” and harmonised tax reforms as “forward‑looking consolidations” of the previous administration’s blueprint.
“The baton of leadership has passed, but the relay of reform continues,” Mustapha concluded. “Reform is not a one‑off initiative but a national discipline that must evolve with consistency.”
