Nigeria's main presidential challenger Muhammadu Buhari has ruled out negotiating with Islamist militants if he wins elections next month.
"Boko Haram is not interested in peace - if they are interested in peace how can they kill 13,000 Nigerians?" the former military ruler told the BBC.
The 72-year-old also said that concerns about his health were unfounded and that he was as "fit as a fiddle".
The elections, due on 14 February, were postponed over security concerns.
Mr Buhari, representing the All Progressives Congress (APC), will face incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan of the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) on 28 March, in what analysts say will be the most closely contested since military rule ended in 1999.
Security officials had said they could not guarantee security for the polls in February, as they needed six weeks to give troops more time to beat back Boko Haram.
The group has waged a six-year insurgency in the north-east of Nigeria and in the last year taken over territory where it has declared a caliphate. Cross-country challenge
Earlier this week, President Jonathan has said the tide has "definitely turned" against Boko Haram as regional forces recapture territory.
Mr Buhari said force was the only option to deal with the insurgents, as peace was not something they wanted. (BBC)
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