Former Head of State General Yakubu Gowon (Rtd) has appealed to Nigerians to be patient with President Bola Tinubu’s administration, saying it is too early to expect perfect results yet.
Gowon spoke on Wednesday to journalists at the State House after a meeting with President Tinubu, declaring the government was doing its best to find an end to the myriad of challenges facing the country.
The former Head of State, who noted that he was visiting President Tinubu for the first time since he was inaugurated as President, also revealed that he was at the Villa to discuss issues about the peace and security of the West African sub-region with him.
Asked what his advice would be to the President on the current situation in the country, Gowon said that though there is no doubt about the situation, it is too early to expect perfection yet.
“I was telling him that there’s no Nigerian leader that can get there, that will not get all of these, all that is being said about him. But certainly, there is no doubt about all that one has heard and seen from various media. I think the government is trying its best to deal with the various problems in the country.
“But with Nigerians, don’t you worry; you will get criticised but people who get there know better than you do. I think all one can say to Nigerians is that they have to give the president time to get things done, and it is too early to sort of say a perfect result will be achieved. That is my opinion.
“At least, if I remember, I was told that I was too slow, fighting the war, and that probably Nigeria would not make it, and we should seek discussion. Well, did we do it or not? They probably did not know the problem there on the ground,” he said.
He further disclosed that he discussed the current challenges facing the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) of which he’s a surviving leader with President Tinubu and the need to resolve them.
He also debunked insinuation in some quarters that he sabotaged the recent ECOWAS meeting, saying the meeting was billed to hold later on Wednesday.
