The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia State has urged Yakubu Gowon, former Military Head of State, to apologise to South-Easterners over the role he played in the Biafra civil war.
According to Abraham Amah, the acting State publicity secretary of the Party, Gowon’s name unsettles a lot of people in the the region owing to the Civil war involvement.
The spokesperson said this in reaction to a statement that Gowon, alongside the state governor-elect, Alex Otti, would lead a prayer session scheduled at Master’s Vessel Church in Umuahia area of the State on Sunday.
Amah who said he was not against praying for the State, however expressed worry over the choice of Gowon as special guest.
The statement read, “The attention of the Abia PDP has been drawn to a news item in circulation on social media indicating that Nigeria’s former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon would on Sunday April 23, 2023 lead a prayer session in one Master’s Vessel Church Umuahia, Abia State under the auspices of his pet project, Nigeria Prays, to herald a new Abia. Whatever ‘a new Abia’ means.
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“The name, Yakubu Gowon is unsettling to many people in the South East given the ignoble roles he played during the Biafran Civil War for which he is yet to render any public apology.”
He furthered that the choice of Gowon as special guest in a State that is the home town of slain General Aguiyi Ironsi was insensitive.
While wondering why no other man of God was invited for the prayer session, the PDP noted that Abia State had produced a Catholic Bishop and other high-ranking clergymen.
The State chapter of the PDP also maintained that Gowon had yet to publicly admit his mistakes in the Civil war.
He added that, “the only way the prayer session would make meaning to the millions of South Easterners, dead and alive, is for Gowon to use the opportunity of the prayer session and convert it to a moment of truth and apologise to the people for his role in the atrocious war that led to the untimely death of millions of our very resourceful people.”
