Breaking: Ex-President Jonathan Breaks Silence After Atiku Blasted Him
- Former president Goodluck Jonathan defended his presidency after Atiku Abubakar described him as inexperienced in a televised interview
- Jonathan said he did his best in office and acknowledged that all leaders make mistakes while speaking at the ARCAN awards in Abuja
- He highlighted Nigeria’s diplomatic gains and warned that political stability was essential for West Africa’s development
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has defended his time in office following recent comments by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
Atiku, an African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential aspirant, had described Jonathan as inexperienced and suggested that his leadership style contributed to governance challenges during his tenure.
Source: UGC
He said,
“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.”
Jonathan insists he did his best
Speaking at the 2025 Association of Retired Career Ambassadors of Nigeria (ARCAN) awards ceremony in Abuja on Monday, April 21, Jonathan said leadership inevitably comes with mistakes but maintained that he served the country to the best of his ability.
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.
“All human beings must make mistakes. I became president in 2010 at the age of 53. I left in 2015 at the age of 58, and they say I was too young. Must it have been 100 years before I ran the affairs of the state?”
Jonathan highlights diplomatic achievements
The former president also pointed to Nigeria’s foreign policy gains during his administration, particularly the country’s representation at the United Nations Security Council on two occasions.
“I’m talking to diplomats, so I can say that during my period, I knew what I did for us to appear in the UN Security Council two times… If I were so naive, I don’t think I would have been able to navigate through that process,” he said.
Warning on political stability in West Africa
Jonathan also used the platform to caution West African leaders on the importance of political stability for economic growth, noting that instability continues to hinder regional development.
He stressed that regional cooperation under ECOWAS must be strengthened despite challenges around sovereignty and democratic enforcement, Leadership reported.
He said,
“We cannot progress economically if we are very unstable societies politically.”
He further added,
“The heads of states of ECOWAS must continue to work together and agree on concrete terms and make sure that the sub-region is politically stable.”
Call for stronger democratic institutions and policy documentation
Jonathan urged regional leaders to deepen democratic institutions, warning that economic integration efforts would remain limited without political stability.
Source: Twitter
He also called on Nigerian diplomats to document foreign policy experiences to guide future administrations and improve decision-making in international relations.
Gowon and ECOWAS founders honoured
At the same event, former Head of State Yakubu Gowon was also honoured, where he reflected on the origins of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), describing its creation as a collective regional effort rooted in post-conflict diplomacy, Punch reported.
He said,
“It was as a result of the various efforts of all Nigerians when we went through a very difficult period…”
He added,
“Why don’t we also think about having something that we can at least have in agreement for all of us when we are working together?”
Gowon noted that ECOWAS was built on collaboration across institutions and praised those who contributed to its establishment.
Atiku blasts Tinubu after IMF warning
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has described Nigeria's current economic reality as “organised hardship dressed up as reform” by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
Atiku said Tinubu’s reforms are driven by policy confusion, weak leadership, and a dangerous detachment from the suffering of ordinary Nigerians.
Source: Legit.ng
