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.
