* Says Abiola as President would have ended ethno-religious crisis

By Mathew Dadiya, Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday said identifying somebody as the next person to succeed him in 2023 as president will create problems for him.

The President also warned that nobody should think he can just become a President by just talking but he worked hard and contested for elections severally before he succeeded.

He spoke while receiving the members of the Progressive in Academics (Pro-Acad) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

However, President Buhari said he would rather stay away from identifying anybody as his successor so as not to create problem for such a person.

The president said: “To me this is very funny.  I think if I identify anybody, I’d create more problem for him or for her.

“So, I’d rather keep my mouth shut. Let those who would want to be president try as much as I did. And I believe that those who are interested know that I tried three times.

“And the first time, I thank God and technology, PVC. Before, they just go to the television and they read the results. They say anybody who disagreed should go to court.

“And 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 first time God and technology came along, PVC they couldn’t rig the election so I won.

The president, therefore, challenged the youths to continue to work harder, saying that they should not take things for granted.

“I tried to work hard but I think you have a lot more to do you as intellectuals so that you correctly document Nigeria’s political development. It’s very important for the next generation.

“A lot of our young chaps are taking things for granted. Imagine to contest election three times ending up in Supreme Court three times. It needs a lot of conviction you know, and hard work.

“But people take success for granted. They say, ah, he’s the president. They think it’s just closed my eyes and I got it? The president asked rhetorically, he added.

The Members of the progressives in Academics, who were drawn from different tertiary institutions across the country, presented three proposals on revitalization of education, power and agriculture to the president possible approval.

The group had asked him to start grooming a youth who will replace him when his second term tenure expires in 2023.

The President also blamed state governments for the state of the Almajiri system in the country.

Meanwhile, President Buhari has described the late MKO Abiola as a bridge builder who could have prevented the religious and tribal issues besetting the country now from happening, if he had been allowed to rule Nigeria.

Speaking Tuesday, in Abuja, when he received Elders and Leaders of Thought from Ogun State at the State House, President Buhari said:

“If MKO Abiola was allowed to rule, the religious and tribal issues now in Nigeria would not have been as strong, because he ran on a Muslim-Muslim ticket, chose his deputy from the Kanuri, a minority tribe and because of his personality, he went across Nigeria and was accepted.

“He used his resources and energy to convince Nigerians that all he wanted was a solid Nigeria and nothing else.”

President Buhari also said that he named the National Stadium, a national monument after the late politician because he knows that the youths would want to find out why such an important national institution was named after MKO Abiola in future.

He expressed appreciation to Governor Dapo Abiodun for mobilising such a strong delegation to thank him for the gesture towards their illustrious son.

The Ogun State delegation, led by the governor, had come to thank the President for the honour done the late MKO Abiola, an indigene of the State, by conferring on him the highest national honour, Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR) for his ultimate sacrifice in enthroning democracy.

The delegation, which presented a big talking drum to the President, also used the opportunity to solicit for the rehabilitation of some federal roads as well as other critical infrastructure in the State, which they are convinced will decongest the gridlock occasioned by the movement of consignments along the Apapa – Oshodi expressway and improve the standard of living of Nigerians along the corridor.