A former head of state, Gen Yakubu Gowon (retd.), on Wednesday, appealed to Nigerians to exercise patience with President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
He stressed that it’s premature to anticipate flawless outcomes at this stage from the current government.
Gowon made this appeal while speaking with State House correspondents after his meeting with President Tinubu on Wednesday.
The former military leader, who said he was visiting Tinubu for the first time after the May 29, 2023 inauguration, said that discussions revolved around matters concerning peace and security within the West African sub-region.
Gowon, who was commenting on his advice to President Tinubu regarding the prevailing national circumstances, acknowledged the existing challenges but stressed that it’s too early to anticipate perfection.
According to him, “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 of the country.
“But with Nigerians, don’t worry, you will get criticised but people who get there know better than you know. 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 remembered, I was told that I was too slow, fighting the war and that probably Nigeria would not make it and we should seek for discussion. Well, did we do it or not? They probably did not know the problem there on the ground there.”