Buhari governed Nigeria without regional bias, treated all equally – Gowon

Former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, has defended the legacy of late former President Muhammadu Buhari, saying he governed Nigeria without favouring any region and ensured every state received equal treatment during his administration.

Gowon made the remarks on Monday in Abuja at the first-year remembrance ceremony held in honour of Buhari, where he said the late president remained committed to serving the interests of all Nigerians throughout his eight years in office.

He said Buhari’s approach to governance was rooted in fairness and a desire to improve the lives of citizens across the country, regardless of their region.

”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.

The former Head of State rejected the widespread belief that Buhari governed primarily for the benefit of northern Nigeria, saying the late president was fair to every part of the country.

”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.

Gowon also praised Buhari’s contribution to national service, saying the late president devoted himself to the country and should be remembered for his commitment.

”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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Recalling the 2015 presidential election, Gowon said he was attending an African Union meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, when concerns grew among delegates over the possibility of violence following the poll.

He noted that the peaceful outcome of the election was largely made possible by then-President Goodluck Jonathan’s decision to concede defeat before the final declaration of the results.

”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.

Born on December 17, 1942, in Daura, Katsina State, Buhari joined the Nigerian Army in 1961 before later venturing into democratic politics.

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