Why l refused to align with any political party, join partisan politics – Gowon

Why l refused to align with any political party, join partisan politics – Gowon

 A former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (retd), has given
reasons he refused to align with any political party in the country.

 

The elder statesman made this known on Wednesday in Abuja
when he received the League of Northern Democrats (LND), led by a former Kano
State governor, Senator Ibrahim Shekarau.

 

The 90-year old elder statesman stated that his only
allegiance is to Nigeria, adding that his profession (military) shaped his
belief in serving the country above all else.

 

He added that he encouraged others to think beyond regional
interests and focus on Nigeria as a whole, stressing that differences in
opinion are natural, but they should never prevent Nigerians from working
together to resolve issues for the good of the country.

 

According to him, “I’ve always believed in taking the best
from all ideologies, be it socialism, capitalism, or others, and applying them
for the greater good.

 

“During my time in government, we valued diverse
perspectives, but decisions were always made in the interest of the people and
the nation.”

 

Gowon expressed hope that the guests’ mission was not just
about returning to the old thinking where the north prioritises the north, the
west prioritises the west, and the east prioritises the east, until the
Mid-West emerged to think for itself, advising that his position has always
been that whatever the north does must serve the greater interest of Nigeria.

 

He explained that he supported the creation of multiple
states, to prevent any one region from becoming too powerful and threatening
the country’s unity but to focus on national unity.

 

The former Head of State stated that the north had to make
sacrifices to address fears of domination by one region, especially given the
size and population of the north, saying that the perspective was born out of
extensive discussions with political leaders, chiefs, and various groups.

 

At that time, he said there was considerable anxiety from
the south about the north’s dominance, which nearly led to calls for secession
from all regions— the west, the east, and even the north.

 

He explained that his decision to advocate for state
creation stemmed from a desire to prevent the fragmentation of the nation.

 

Gowon said, “If we had allowed it, what would we call
ourselves today? We might have ended up with separate nations— whether Yoruba,
Igbo, Hausa, or otherwise. I hesitate to say more, as I might risk offending
someone here.”

 

According to him, Nigeria’s population and diversity are
strengths and that if citizens can unite despite their differences, they can
build the Nigeria they all envision.

 

Gowon said he felt saddened by the challenges currently
facing the north, such as the emergence of groups like the Lukurawa from Mali,
saying that their activities have only created more problems for the region.

 

Gen. Gowon ruled Nigeria as a military leader for nine
years, from 1966 to 1975 before being ousted by a military junta.

Source: Why l refused to align with any political party, join partisan politics – Gowon

 - NigerianEye
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