Former President Goodluck Jonathan has defended his time in office, saying he did his best despite criticisms from former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who recently described him as inexperienced.
Atiku, speaking during an interview, argued that Jonathan’s lack of experience affected his ability to manage the country during challenging periods. He is currently seeking the presidential ticket of the African Democratic Congress, alongside other political heavyweights.
Reacting at the 2025 awards ceremony of the Association of Retired Career Ambassadors of Nigeria in Abuja, Jonathan acknowledged that mistakes are inevitable in leadership but insisted that they do not define a leader’s entire record.
“No one who has served as a governor or president can claim they made no mistakes,” he said. “I became president at 53 and left at 58, and some say I was too young. Must one be 100 years old to lead a country?”
Jonathan stressed that while he may have made errors, he approached governance with commitment and responsibility.
He also pointed to key diplomatic achievements during his administration, including Nigeria’s successful election to the United Nations Security Council, as evidence of effective leadership.
“If I were truly naive, I wouldn’t have been able to navigate that process,” he noted.
Beyond addressing the criticism, Jonathan used the occasion to highlight broader regional concerns, particularly political instability in West Africa. He warned that without stable governance systems, economic progress in the region would remain limited.
“We cannot progress economically if our societies are politically unstable,” he said.
He added that while the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) was founded with strong economic goals, ongoing political challenges among member states have slowed its progress. According to him, enforcing democratic standards across the region often clashes with issues of national sovereignty.
Read Also;
Osun 2026: INEC Assures Credible Governorship Election Amid Protest Over REC Transfer
Jonathan urged West African leaders to work more closely together to strengthen democratic institutions and ensure stability across the sub-region.
He also encouraged Nigerian diplomats to document the country’s foreign policy experiences, saying such records would help guide future leaders in international relations.
The event also featured reflections from former Head of State Yakubu Gowon, who was honoured for his role in the creation of ECOWAS in 1975. Gowon described the regional bloc as a collective effort aimed at fostering unity and economic cooperation across West Africa.
Jonathan concluded by emphasising that leadership should be judged not by the absence of mistakes, but by the ability to make decisions and move a nation forward despite challenges.
