Nigerian president to step down in 2023

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has pledged to leave office in 2023. 

Writing in his New Year’s letter to the nation, Mr Buhari said that “I will be standing down in 2023 and will not be available in any future elections”. 

The President’s statement has abated concerns that he would seek a backdoor route to re-election beyond his constitutionally allowed date of 2023. Fears peaked when some protestors called for a constitutional amendment to allow Buhari to remain in office earlier this year. A member of his party, the APC, also approached the court to overturn the term limit. 

Nevertheless, Mr Buhari added that he was “determined” to strengthen the electoral process in Nigeria and across the Ecowas regional bloc, where several countries are holding elections this year. 

The president also stated in his letter that his primary concern was the security of the nation and the safety of its citizens. 

“When I assumed office in May 2015, my first task was to rally our neighbours so that we could confront Boko Haram on a coordinated regional basis. Chaos is not a neighbour any of us hope for”, he wrote. 

He continued, “We have been fighting on several fronts: violent extremists, cultists and organised criminal networks. It has not been easy. But as we are winning the war, we also look to the challenge of winning the peace, the reconstruction of lives, communities and markets. The North East Development Commission will work with local and international stakeholders to help create a new beginning for the North East”. 

Photo credit: Vanguard News