Gowon: FG demands apology from British govt over corruption allegation

By Solomon Ikechukwu

The Federal Government  has said that the British government must retract its corruption allegations against former Nigerian Head of State, Gen Yakubu Gowon( retired)  and apologize to Nigeria.

Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ferdinand Nwonye made this demand in a statement in Abuja.

He said the outrageous and unsubstantiated allegation of the member UK Parliament does not reflect the views of Her Majesty’s Government.

According to the  statement, “The attention of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been drawn to an outrageous and unsubstantiated allegation in the United Kingdom Parliament against retired General Yakubu

Gowon, GCFR, a former Nigerian Head of State, by Mr. Tom Tugendhat, MP, Chair, Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Commons.

“During a debate on a petition regarding the EndSARS protests in Nigeria, Tugendhat accused the respected former Head of State of corruption, saying ‘some people will remember when General

Gowon left Nigeria with half the Central Bank and moved to London’.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through the Nigerian High Commission in London immediately sought an apology and retraction of the unsubstantiated allegation from the British Government.

“After due consultations and engagements with the Acting Nigerian High Commissioner in London, the Head of Africa Department of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Charlotte

Pierre, expressed strong reservations on the comment of the Parliamentarian”.

Pierre further explained that the said comment of the MP does not reflect the views of Her Majesty’s Government and the British Government has no mechanism for controlling the actions and speeches of members of the

Parliament.

 She however urged the Government and the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to discountenance the said comment of the MP, as Her Majesty’s Government has nothing to do with it.