On Friday, the Presidency refuted claims made by some All Progressives Congress governors that President Muhammadu Buhari was planning to prolong his tenure beyond May 29, 2023, or establish an interim government. In a statement titled ‘Stop the joke about interim government, elections will hold,’ signed by the President’s spokesperson, Garba Shehu, the Presidency declared that there were no plans to extend Buhari’s tenure or install an interim government. The statement asserted that Buhari is looking forward to transferring power to his elected successor in accordance with the Constitution on May 29, 2023.
The governors had claimed that Buhari’s new naira policy was an attempt to provoke chaos that would necessitate an interim government. In response, the Presidency denied the claims, labeling them “way off the mark.” The statement stressed that “those who peddle it stand to gain nothing at all but the creation of panic and the incitement of the public against the Federal Government.”
The Presidency also assured Nigerians that the February 25 elections would proceed as planned and that there was no need to panic. The statement noted that there was a lot of pressure on everyone, including elected officials, candidates, and law enforcement agencies, and that President Buhari had opened numerous avenues for consultation with leaders and groups across the country. Additionally, the Presidency declared that Buhari’s preferred successor was the APC flag bearer, Bola Tinubu.
