“Suppressing Ambition for the Greater Good!” — Sowunmi Reveals How Tinubu Managed Personal Hurt to Forge the 2015 APC Coalition

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and convener of The Alternative, Segun Sowunmi, has offered a candid retrospective on the formation of the All Progressives Congress (APC), asserting that the coalition’s historic 2015 electoral victory was largely enabled by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s ability to navigate deep personal political setbacks.

Speaking during a televised interview reflecting on the complex negotiations that preceded the merger, Sowunmi pointed out that the alliance could easily have fractured if Tinubu had chosen to prioritize personal ambition over the collective framework. According to him, after the coalition settled on Muhammadu Buhari as its presidential flagbearer, initial calculations pointing toward a joint ticket hit a brick wall due to intense opposition against a Muslim-Muslim pairing.

Sowunmi emphasized that stepping back from the ticket presented an excruciatingly painful hurdle for a principal architect of the merger. Rather than allowing personal frustration to scuttle the coalition or launching a destructive factional revolt, Tinubu chose to press past the disappointment to sustain the broader opposition movement.

Recalling subsequent tactical decisions, Sowunmi also highlighted Tinubu’s role in introducing former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo into the leadership equation—a move that bridged critical divides and cemented the ticket’s viability. He described these compromises as the essential, high price of building enduring political institutions rather than fragile, short-lived alliances.

The reflections have sparked widespread discussions across political circles, serving as a reminder of the behind-the-scenes compromises that reshaped Nigeria’s contemporary political landscape as parties begin laying the groundwork for future electoral battles.