By Damola Emmanuel
In one of the few television interviews he has granted so far in his Presidency, President Muhammadu Buhari, Wednesday, declared that he was not losing any sleep over the 2023 general elections and he wouldn’t be bothered about who succeeds him.
‘It’s not my problem,” the President told two Editors of Channels Television in a recorded interview aired Wednesday evening, without mincing words.
‘You are not interested in who succeeds you?’ The interviewers pressed Buhari further.
“No,” he answered emphatically. “Let him come, whoever it is. What is important is that I will make sure there is a record. Nobody should ask me to come and give any evidence in any court, otherwise, whoever it is, he would be in trouble. Because all the important things are on record. I will make sure about that. The important things are all on record.”
The reporters also asked him a question about what most Nigerians are earnestly yearning to know: “You don’t have any favourite for 2023 (presidential election) in your party?
“No,” he said firmly. Then, humorously, he added: “I wouldn’t because they will eliminate him if I mention him. I better keep it secret.”
The Channels Editors asked the President other one-liners towards the end of the session. For instance, they wanted to know what comes to his mind whenever he thinks of the young people of Nigeria.
“I wish when they go to school, when they work hard, when they earn their degree, they don’t do it thinking government must give them job,” he answered. “You get educated because the educated person is certainly better than the uneducated one; even in identifying personal problems. So, education is not something to hang on to government to give you job and what the colonials indoctrinated us on-to have a car, to have a house, and to start work at 8 o’clock (in the morning) and close at 2 o’clock (in the afternoon). No!”
They also asked him: “Another word, another phrase is PDP. What comes to your mind?
“PDP?” Buhari asked. “Failure”, he submitted, igniting laughter.
“Another one is the second Niger Bridge,” the interviewers continued. “What comes to mind?”
“Well, go and ask the people of South East,” the President responded speedily. “They are celebrating even before it is completed because it is giving them another route to get to the other parts of the country.”
“INEC?” the Channels reporters fired another one.
“INEC?” President Buhari retorted. “Are you criticizing the Professor? I think the Professor is doing his best. He has already told us about the elections that are coming in some of the states before the general elections in 14 months time or so.”
Earlier in the session, the interviewers had asked Buhari about the ongoing trial of Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, the 53-year-old leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, wondering if the administration was considering a political solution to the impasse.
“I wouldn’t dare interfere with the judiciary,” Buhari said, matter-of-factly. “Nigerians know that I don’t interfere with the judiciary; let him be listened to. But those who are saying that he should be released, no, we cannot release him.”