2023: I hope I can quietly handover as a beneficiary of free election

President Muhammadu Buhari says as a beneficiary of free and fair election, he hopes to also peacefully handover power to his successor by 2023.

Buhari stated this on Thursday during a dinner with members of his legal team for the 2019 presidential petition in Abuja, according to statement by his spokesman, Garba Shehu.

The President commended Nigerians for coming out in large numbers across the 36 states of the federation to vote for him, noting such support convinced him that his re-election was not a “fluke.”

His words: ‘‘The number of people that turned out in every state across the country was more than anybody can buy or force. This gave me so much confidence and the election proved that with the votes I got.

‘That is why I insist that elections must be free and fair because I am a clear successor to a free and fair election.

‘‘Morally I want to have a clear conscience. I swore by the Holy Book that I will abide by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

‘‘I will continue to do my best and I hope that by 2023, I can handover quietly to whoever succeeds me and I wish him the best of luck.”

He went on to extol the team led by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Wole Olanipekun, for bracing the odds and working frantically to ensure the presidential election petition was a success.

Buhari added: ‘‘You creditably demonstrated a deep understanding of the law and its practices and I am indeed proud of you all.

‘‘I am confident that by securing a convincing and unanimous legal victory at the Supreme Court you have by so doing ensured that the political mandate of the Nigerian electorate is now firmly secured.”