Why l refused to align with any political party in Nigeria – Gowon

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

Gowon, 90,  made this known on Wednesday, November 27 in Abuja when he received the League of Northern Democrats (LND), led by a former Kano State governor, Senator Ibrahim Shekarau.

The 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.

“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.”

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. He said 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.

“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.”

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.