Politics
Gowon Reflects On Aburi, Blames Ojukwu Misinterpretation
Former Nigerian Head of State General Yakubu Gowon has shed new light on the collapse of the historic Aburi Accord, claiming that his eastern counterpart, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, misrepresented the terms of the agreement in a manner that derailed hopes of national unity and contributed to the outbreak of the Nigerian Civil War.
Speaking during an interview on Arise Television on Wednesday, Gowon recounted the tense atmosphere that followed the January 1967 peace talks held in Aburi, Ghana. The talks were convened to ease the political crisis threatening to splinter Nigeria in the aftermath of two coups and growing regional mistrust.
Gowon (the head of state) and Ojukwu (then military governor of the Eastern Region), were key players in the discussions.
Gowon said that while the intent of the Aburi meeting was to return home and finalize the resolutions together, Ojukwu immediately made public pronouncements that, according to him, were not aligned with what was actually agreed upon.
“We just went there, as far as we were concerned, to meet as officers and then agree to get back home and resolve the problem at home. That was my understanding,” Gowon said. “But that was not his (Ojukwu’s) understanding.”
The retired general, who led Nigeria from 1966 to 1975, said he fell seriously ill with fever shortly after returning from Aburi, which prevented him from immediately engaging in follow-up deliberations. During that time, he claimed Ojukwu moved quickly to present a version of the accord that surprised many of his fellow officers.
“I don’t know where he got his version from,” Gowon said, a note of bewilderment in his voice.
At the heart of the disagreement, according to Gowon, was the issue of military control. Ojukwu, he alleged, proposed that regional military zones be placed under the command of regional governors, a structure that would have effectively decentralized control of the armed forces.
“That was one of the major issues,” Gowon explained. “We said that the military would be zoned, but he wanted those zones to be commanded by the governor of each region. Of course, we did not agree with that one.”
Gowon also noted that a follow-up meeting was arranged in Benin City to clarify lingering ambiguities in the agreement. All regional leaders, including Ojukwu, were invited. But the Eastern Region governor declined, citing security concerns.
“We needed to review and agree collectively on the next steps. But he refused to come,” Gowon said.
The Aburi meeting, held from January 4–5, 1967, was one of the last-ditch efforts to preserve Nigeria’s unity in the face of mounting ethnic tensions, military mutinies, and regional secessionist sentiment. Both federal and eastern delegates agreed in principle that regions should have autonomy in managing their affairs, but the specifics, especially regarding the chain of command and national sovereignty, remained contentious.
The failure to implement the accord ultimately paved the way for the declaration of the Republic of Biafra on May 30, 1967, by Ojukwu and the onset of a brutal civil war six weeks later. The conflict, which lasted until January 15, 1970, claimed an estimated one to three million lives, many from starvation in the war-ravaged eastern region.
Though more than five decades have passed since the accord and the war, interpretations of Aburi remain divisive. To some, it symbolized a missed opportunity for a more decentralized, federal Nigeria. To others, it exposed the fault lines and distrust that no agreement, however well-intentioned, could mend.
Ojukwu, the man at the centre of that critical moment in Nigerian history, died in 2011 at the age of 78. His legacy, like that of Aburi, remains both revered and contested.
For Gowon, now in his 80s, the lessons of that era still resonate. “We wanted peace,” he said in the interview. “But peace must come with clarity and shared understanding. That, sadly, is where we fell short.”
Ripplesnigeria.com
Politics
Rivers LG Polls: 20 Wike Loyalists Flood APC Chairmanship Slots As RSEIC Releases Final List
The Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) has released the final list of political parties and candidates cleared to contest the August 30 local government elections, with 16 parties given the green light.
The Chairman of the RSIEC, Michael Odey, in a statement, explained that the list followed a screening exercise held at the commission’s headquarters along Aba Road, Port Harcourt, between Friday, August 8, and Tuesday, August 12, in line with the revised election timetable
Beyond the Peoples Democratic Party and the All Progressives Congress, other cleared parties include the Labour Party, All Progressives Grand Alliance, Zenith Party, Accord Party, African Action Congress, Action People’s Party, and the Social Democratic Party.
Others are the Action Alliance, Youth Party, Young Progressive Party, Action Democratic Party, New Nigerian People’s Party, African Democratic Party, National Rescue Movement, and the Allied People’s Party.
The PDP fielded only three chairmanship candidates, while the APC presented 20 chairmanship candidates across the state’s 23 LGAs.
The PDP candidates are Gift Worlu for Obio/Akpor, home LGA of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, Allwell Ihunda for Port Harcourt City LGA, and Chukwu Ogbugu for Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA.
The APC candidates, mostly loyalists of Wike and many of whom previously served as LGA chairmen during his tenure as governor, include Confidence Deko for Gokana LGA, Chidi Lloyd for Emohua LGA, Obari Ollormate for Eleme LGA, Akuro Tobins for Okrika LGA, and Thomas Bari-ara, among others.
It was observed that the Labour Party and 14 other parties did not field candidates for all chairmanship and councillorship positions in the 23 LGAs.
Meanwhile, the RSIEC Chairman urged political parties and their candidates to check the commission’s headquarters for the posted names.
Speaking at an interactive session with civil society organisations, Odey sought their collaboration, as well as that of security agencies, to ensure a credible poll.
The African Democratic Congress has claimed it won two out of three seats in the state and National Assembly bye-elections in Kaduna State.
The ADC Coalition mobilisation wing, known as ‘ADC Vanguard,’ disclosed this in a terse statement on its X account Saturday.
DAILY POST reports that Kaduna State conducted elections in the Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency, the Zaria Kewaye State Constituency, and the Basawa State Constituency.
Reacting to the polls in a statement, ADC Vanguard said on X, “ADC Coalition Dominates Kaduna State, Securing 2 out of 3 constituencies insStunning victory.”
However, official results from the state electoral commission are yet to be released.
Earlier, All Progressives Congress chieftain, Ayekooto Akindele took a swipe at the former Governor Nasir El-Rufai, saying emerging results showed Kaduna people spoke loudly against him.
“Unfortunately for him, Kaduna people said loudly today that UBA SANI IS THEIR LEADER.
Primate Elijah Ayodele, the founder and spiritual leader of the INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, has issued a stern warning to Nigerian governors regarding their aspirations for a second term in office in 2027.
In a public statement released by his media aide, Osho Oluwatosin, Primate Ayodele elaborated on the challenges these governors may face in their quest for re-election, indicating that without sincere efforts and dedication, their ambitions for a second term might be hindered.
The warning serves as a wake-up call for these leaders to recognize the potential obstacles ahead and to engage in the necessary actions to secure their political futures.
“The governors of Akwa Ibom, Delta, Enugu, Cross River, Kaduna, Zamfara, and Ondo must work well to get a second term in office.
“It’s not certain for them except they work hard and pray. This is a hint of what they should be expecting.
“They need to work very well so that they won’t lose their second-term ambition,” he revealed.
Primate Ayodele also warned the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, to be careful and prayerful so that his second term as Senate President will not be traded.
“Senate President Godswill Akpabio must be very careful and prayerful to get a second term as Senate president. I see his position being traded; he must work very hard to avoid it.”
Likewise, Primate Ayodele revealed that prominent senators and members of the House of Representatives will not return for a second term, too, while warning Ned Nwoko of Delta against his governorship ambition, saying it’s not yet his time.
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