Buhari: I Won't Anoint Anyone as Successor in 2023 …Successors should try their luck, he says

President Muhammadu Buhari has foreclosed anointing anyone as his successor, admonishing those expecting him to anoint them to succeed him in 2023 to try their own luck.

 The president, who said an attempt to groom a successor now would create a serious problem, was swift to add that becoming a president is not a bed of roses.

According to him, those who want to be president should try hard as much as he did before luck eventually smiled on him.

Buhari made the declaration when he received members of the Progressives in Academics (Pro-Acad) at the State House, Abuja on Tuesday.

He was responding to a demand by the group, urging him to put the machinery in place to groom a youth that will succeed him in 2023.

Buhari who noted that becoming a president was not a tea party, recalled all he went through before becoming president in 2019.

“Succession! To me, this is very funny, because if I find anybody, I will create more problems for him or her. Let those who want to be president try as much as I did.

“I believe those who are interested need to know that I tried three times and the fourth time, I thank God and technology, PVC.

"Before they announced the result on radio and television, they got the result and they said anybody who disagreed should go to court. Most of my supporters are looking for next day’s meal, they don’t have money to give to lawyers. So, I said God dey!

“So, the fourth time because of technology they couldn’t rig the elections, so I won. So this time around, I tried to work hard," he said.

Buhari challenged the group to strive hard to correct prevalent intellectual deficiencies in the country.

According to him, undertaking such a move by the academic group had become germane for the development of the next generation.

Furthermore,  observed that young persons take issues with levity nowadays, insisting that becoming a president requires hard work.

“So, I think you have more to do as intellectuals to make sure you correct Nigeria’s intellectual development. It is very important for the next generation.

“A lot of our young people are taking things for granted. Imagine to contest elections three times and ending up in the Supreme Court, it takes a lot of conviction and hard work.

"But people take things for granted, they say I want to be the president. As if I  just closed my eyes and opened and I got it.”

He also blamed state governments on the issue of Al-majiri system in the country.