Tinubu on Late Buhari: “He’s So Stubborn” — Reveals Clash Over APC Logo During Party’s Formation

President Bola Tinubu has revealed that he once had a heated disagreement with the late former President Muhammadu Buhari over the choice of the All Progressives Congress (APC) logo during the party’s formative years.

Speaking on Tuesday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja while receiving members of The Buhari Organisation, led by former Nasarawa State Governor, Senator Tanko Al-Makura, Tinubu recalled the tense arguments that shaped the party’s early identity. According to him, Buhari strongly opposed his proposal for the broom as the party’s symbol.

“We disagreed to agree. We even argued about a symbol. He (Buhari) insisted on parliament, and I insisted on broom. He’s so stubborn,” Tinubu said, describing the late president’s determination during the negotiations that eventually birthed the APC in 2013.

The APC was formed from the merger of four opposition parties — the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), and a faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). Tinubu, then leader of the ACN, and Buhari, head of the CPC bloc, were central figures in the talks, though their differing political traditions often clashed. The broom was ultimately adopted as the party’s official logo, symbolizing unity and resistance against corruption and poor governance.

The coalition went on to secure a historic victory in 2015, ending the Peoples Democratic Party’s 16-year hold on power and paving the way for Buhari’s presidency.

Tuesday’s meeting, which brought together key northern leaders including Katsina State Governor Dikko Radda and former Governor Aminu Masari, is seen as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen party ranks ahead of the 2027 elections.

Buhari, who died on July 15, was laid to rest in his hometown of Daura, Katsina State.