IBB: Nigerians now waiting for your own book, Abaribe tells Yakubu Gowon
Tamarauemi Ebimini
The Senator representing Abia South Senatorial Zone in the National Assembly, Enyinnaya Abaribe, has advised former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, to write a book chronicling his experiences as a former leader of the country and revealing the truth about the 1966 coup, as former President Ibrahim Babangida has done.
This is even as he expressed surprise that Justice Binta Nyako still presided over the case brought against IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, after the judge’s earlier recusal.
Abaribe, who said this at Aba on Thursday during a press conference to herald his 70th birthday coming up this weekend, stated that the former Head of State owes Nigerians a duty to give an account of what happened before and during his time in power, especially regarding claims that the January 1966 coup was an Igbo coup.
The Senator, reacting to the trending IBB book, said that the ex-President’s statement has dismissed the decades-long view in which some persons wrongly tagged the first military intervention as “The Igbo Coup.”
“We are still waiting for that book by General Gowon because he was a dramatic personnel and part of the missteps and mistakes that were made at that time,” Senator Abaribe said.
He, however, faulted the section in the IBB book where Babangida claimed that some actions taken during his regime were not decided by him.
The Senator, who called for national peace, urged the Federal Government to free IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, using political mechanisms, lamenting that many criminal elements are now using the excuse of his continued detention to commit crimes in the South East.
He also urged the Igbo people to unite and develop their region and commended Governor Alex Otti, Chukwuma Soludo, and Peter Mbah for their achievements so far.
The veteran lawmaker, noting that mortality rates are very high in the country, appreciated God for preserving his life, adding that he would be presenting a book on his birthday.
