LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — The Nigerian president's spokesman says President Muhammadu Buhari has declared his intention to seek re-election in February, 2019.

Presidential spokesman Garba Shehu said in a statement Monday that Buhari made the declaration at a closed-door meeting of the National Executive Committee of the All Progressives Congress in Abuja, the capital.

Garba said the president's decision was a response to "the clamor by Nigerians to recontest in 2019."

Some Nigerians have in the past called on the president to step down from office because of health issues, which had kept him away from office for several months while he sought medical treatment in Britain.

This would be the second four-year term for the 75-year-old president if he is re-elected.

Buhari beat incumbent Goodluck Jonathan in the March 2015 presidential election.