Former President Goodluck Jonathan has dismissed recent criticism from former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who labelled him an “inexperienced” leader, insisting that he did his best in office and that no president governs without making mistakes .
Atiku, a presidential aspirant on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), made the remarks during an interview on Arise TV, where he attributed governance challenges during Jonathan’s tenure to a lack of adequate leadership preparation . “I know Goodluck Jonathan very well. He is a decent young man, but also inexperienced, and I believe that contributed to his inability to manage the affairs of the country, particularly when he was faced with challenges,” Atiku said .
Jonathan, who spoke on Monday at the 2025 Association of Retired Career Ambassadors of Nigeria (ARCAN) awards ceremony in Abuja, did not directly mention Atiku but addressed the criticism head-on . “So not too long ago, a very senior politician said, ‘Oh, Jonathan was too young and probably that’s why he made mistakes’,” he said . “If I made mistakes, yes, nobody who becomes a governor or a president will say you did not make mistakes. Even when you promote yourself to the level of a god, you become a deity” .
The former president also questioned the logic behind the age-related criticism, noting that he became president in 2010 at 53 and left in 2015 at 58 . “Must it have been 100 years before I ran the affairs of the state?” he asked . He further defended his record by pointing to Nigeria’s diplomatic achievements during his tenure, including the country’s election to the United Nations Security Council on two occasions. “If I were so naive, I don’t think I would have been able to navigate through that process,” he stated .
Beyond the personal rebuttal, Jonathan warned that political instability remains a major barrier to economic progress across West Africa, urging leaders within the ECOWAS bloc to strengthen democratic institutions .
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