Gowon endorses Jonathan’s handling of Boko Haram, security

A former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (rtd), has commended the Federal Government for the way it handled the fuel subsidy removal crisis.

He also expressed optimism that the security challenge in the country would soon be overcome.

The former head of state met with President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa on Tuesday alongside former President Shehu Shagari.

“We are here to greet the President. We were to have attended the Council of State meeting that was cancelled because of the situation in the country. The former heads of state were to have met before now and advise on the most current issues: the subsidy as well as the security problem.

The President has resolved the subsidy issue in a correct way in order for things to be able to return to normal and we are grateful and we endorse what he has done and also talk generally on things for example you saw how happy the youth corps members were yesterday (Monday) when the President announced all the good things he had for them,” he said.

Mr. Gowon told journalists he was certain President Jonathan was in control of the security crisis in the country and expressed the hope that Nigeria would overcome the current situation as it did the Civil War.

“I assure you that Mr. President and his team are very much on top of it. Any security issue is not something you can virtually dictate on and say this is the way it is going to finish. But with the determination to ensure security for all and for the good of the country, all that we need to do is to give the

President the support for all the actions he is taking to put the situation under control. There is need for cooperation from all the people themselves. I am sure no stone would be left unturned in getting to the bottom of the problem and resolving it”.

He continued, “My trust and belief in this country and the goodness of all Nigerians to be able to resolve their problems themselves the way we did after fighting each other for so many years. How did we do it? Was there an equivalent of the reconciliation that we were able to achieve in Nigeria anywhere in the world in the history of the world? It is only in Nigeria that impossible in fact becomes possible.”