Following calls by Nigerians for the federal government to swiftly find an immediate solution to the heightened cost of living and worsening insecurity across the country, Former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (rtd), has urged Nigerians to give President Bola Ahmed Tinubu time to achieve results, and desist from hasty judgement on the performance of the President.
Gowon who made this call while addressing State House correspondents after meeting with President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Wednesday, February 21, 2024, stated that it is too early to deliver a final verdict on the Tinubu-led administration.
He stated further; ‘’Well, I was telling him that no Nigerian leader can get there and will not have all the report of what is being said about him. But certainly, there’s no doubt from what one hears and what one sees on the various media, etc. I think the government is trying their best to deal with the various problems of the country.
Don’t you worry you will get criticised, but people who get there know better than you know. I think all what one can say is that Nigerians, we’ve got to give the president time. And it is too early to sort of say absolute result, perfect result will be achieved now.
That is my opinion. I know and if I can remember, when I was fighting the war, I was told I was too slow and that probably Nigeria cannot make it and that we should now seek for discussion. Well, did we do it or not? They probably do not know the problem underground, so that is where we are.”
The former military leader revealed that he and President Tinubu were able to clarify plans regarding ECOWAS during their talks on Wednesday 21 February.
Gowon who noted that the Wednesday’s visit marks his first to Tinubu since the inauguration, added that after his visit at the inauguration to wish the president success, it became hard for him to access the president considering his(president) busy schedule.
“If you remember how busy he was after that, visitors, members of government, various personalities, so it was not possible for me to be able to see him. After the time I had to travel abroad but from broad, he was able to reach me on my birthday and after that interesting social media report that I was dead.
But when I came back, I made a number of efforts but unfortunately I think because of his busy programme, it was not possible for me to see him. But luckily enough, this time he was able to give me the opportunity to see him and to discuss various matters especially the issue of the ECOWAS problem at the moment which I think needs to be resolved”. He added in parts.
He said that being the surviving leader or founding father of the ECOWAS, there was need to discuss some plans in order to see what can be done to bring the matter under control.
Gowon disclosed that the reason behind his visit to the president was to discuss possible ways to address the prevailing issues in the ECOWAS.
“Is it you that did that report? Who did that? You know, trying to give that impression that it was me who was probably trying to sort of sabotage ECOWAS. No, that is not the case. I think there was a miscommunication, but then it gave the opportunity for Mr President to call me so that we can discuss what I was to do.
So that ECOWAS meeting was part of the discussion we had today. So that has been done and solved and I hope that we can probably be able to have that message done later on today at ECOWAS headquarters probably by 5pm, they will let you know. He noted.
