My preferred successor may be eliminated – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has said the person he wants to succeed him in 2023 might be killed if he names him this time.

Buhari said this during an interview with Channels TV on Wednesday.

Asked if he has a favourite among those eyeing the presidency in 2023, Buhari said he would rather keep the name of the person to himself, saying he may be eliminated before 2023.

“I wouldn’t (mention the name of my favourite successor) because he may be eliminated if I do. I better keep that a secret,” Buhari said.

Though the majority of those interested in Buhari’s job are yet to declare their ambition, some of those being rumoured include, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Chief Bola Tinubu, Senator Ibikunle Amosun and a host of others.

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari, on Wednesday, stated that he is ready to sign the Electoral Act Amendment Bill if the National Assembly makes the necessary adjustments.

Buhari disclosed this during an interview with Channels Television’s Maupe Ogun and Seun Okinbaloye, which aired today.

The President, however, said such changes must include consensus candidates, indirect primary options to the mode of selecting a candidate for an election, as against the initial direct mode as the only option to conduct primaries by political parties.

“All I said (is that) there should be options,” Buhari said.

“We must not insist that it has to be direct; it should be consensus and indirect.”

Asked if he would sign if the lawmakers effect the change in that direction, he affirmed, “Yes, I will! I will sign.

“There should be options, you can’t dictate to people and say you are doing democracy. Give them other options so they can make a choice.”

It would be recalled that Buhari had last December, officially rejected the bill which was recently passed by the National Assembly.

His decision to withhold his assent followed the inclusion of direct primary elections in the bill.

According to a letter the President sent to the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, he cited insecurity and the high cost of conducting the direct primary as his reasons for rejecting the bill.

In a related development, President Muhammadu Buhari, on Wednesday, ruled out the possibility of a political solution in the case of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Buhari disclosed this during an interview aired on Channels Television.

Recently, some Igbo leaders urged Buhari to grant Kanu freedom.

The elders, led by former Minister of Aviation in the First Republic, Chief Mbazulike Amaechi, had made the call during a meeting with Buhari at the State House, Abuja.

The Amaechi-led elders had urged the president to grant the IPOB leader an unconditional release.

Kanu was rearrested in June 2021 in Kenya and repatriated to Nigeria to continue his trial before an Abuja Federal High Court.

Following his repatriation, the separatist has been locked up at the Department of State Services, DSS.

The IPOB leader is facing trial before Justice Binta Nyako-led court for charges based on terrorism.

Speaking on the trial of Kanu during the interview, the president said: “I wouldn’t dare interfere with the judiciary.”