Gowon: Buhari Governed Nigeria Without Regional Bias, Treated All Equally

‎Former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, has said late former President Muhammadu Buhari governed Nigeria without regional bias, insisting that he treated every state and region fairly rather than favouring the North as widely perceived.

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‎Speaking at the first-year remembrance of Buhari held in Abuja on Monday, Gowon said the late president was committed to serving all Nigerians equally throughout his eight-year administration.

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‎According to him, Buhari’s leadership was driven by fairness and commitment to the welfare of every Nigerian, irrespective of region.

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‎”He takes care of all people in the country. And his time in office was to take care of all Nigerians, not only the North,” Gowon said.

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He dismissed claims that Buhari governed solely in the interest of northern Nigeria, describing such perceptions as inaccurate.

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‎”Some people think that, yes, he was only president for the North. No, he made sure that all the states were treated equally, all parts of the country were treated equally and fairly. And so this is a credit to him,” he added.

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‎Gowon also commended Buhari’s years of public service, saying he gave his best in serving Nigeria and deserved to be remembered for his dedication to the nation.

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‎”I would like to thank all of you for coming to this first-year remembrance of President Muhammadu Buhari’s years of service that he did and gave his best to the country,” he said.

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‎Reflecting on Buhari’s emergence as president in 2015, Gowon recalled the tension that surrounded the presidential election while he was attending an African Union meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

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‎He said delegates at the meeting were anxious about the possibility of post-election violence in Nigeria but noted that then-President Goodluck Jonathan’s acceptance of the election outcome helped preserve peace.

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‎”At that time, the fear of all the delegates at the AU was so much because they were worried about what would happen to Nigeria. But President Jonathan accepted the result even before it was finally confirmed,” Gowon recalled.

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‎Buhari served as Nigeria’s President from 2015 to 2023, after previously serving as the country’s military Head of State between December 1983 and August 1985.

Born on December 17, 1942, in Daura, Katsina State, he joined the Nigerian Army in 1961 and entered democratic politics after years in military service, winning the 2015 presidential election after three unsuccessful attempts. He secured a second term in 2019.

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‎He died on July 13, 2025, at the age of 82 in a London hospital after a prolonged illness.

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