Former Head of State Yakubu Gowon lamented the untimely death of late President Umaru Yar’Adua, expressing his belief that Nigeria would have thrived under his leadership.
Speaking at a leadership conference in Abuja, Gowon hailed Yar’Adua as a “decent man” who was dedicated to honesty and integrity in governance, as reported by The Cable.
“He did very well and he has to be remembered. He was so honest that he said the process that brought him to power was not right. And he set up a committee. But it was not followed by successive leaders,” the former head of state said.
“However, I believe that one day, we shall have a solution. He was honest and sincere in dealing with any problem, and he was incorruptible.
“You cannot blame him for corruption; he was clean. His various activities, including the amnesty programme that he brought to the Niger Delta, ensured our economy was protected.
“His illness and death… I believe if God had allowed him to complete his years in service, I believe Nigeria would have been better. A lot of things would have been better because he meant well for the country.
“So continue that love for the country and love for one another to make Nigeria great.”
Echoing Gowon’s sentiments, Abdullahi Mamman, chair of the Global Initiative For Leadership Success, criticized the failure to implement Yar’Adua’s proposed electoral reforms, attributing Nigeria’s governance challenges to this lapse.
