Former President Dr. Goodluck Jonathan has defended his administration, stating that he did his best while in office.
His response came after former Vice President Atiku Abubakar criticized his administration during an interview on Arise TV’s Prime Time.
During the interview, Atiku, a presidential candidate for the African Democratic Congress, branded Jonathan as inexperienced and admitted to making mistakes while in power.
Atiku is running for president alongside the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi; former Minister of Transport Rotimi Amaechi; and former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso.
During the interview, Atiku downplayed the importance of Kwankwaso and Tambuwal in the North, limiting Obi’s support base to the South-East and Amaechi’s strength to the South-South.
He also expressed dissatisfaction with President Bola Tinubu’s administration and described former President Jonathan as inexperienced.
“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,” he said.
Speaking on Monday at the 2025 Association of Retired Career Ambassadors of Nigeria awards ceremony in Abuja, Jonathan stated that no governor or president would claim not to have made mistakes.
“So not too long ago, a very senior politician said, ‘Oh, Jonathan was too young, and probably that’s why he made mistakes.’
“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?”
The former president defended his judgments in office, stating that mistakes are unavoidable, but he did his best.
He also emphasized Nigeria’s diplomatic achievements during his term, including its election to the United Nations Security Council.
“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.
Speaking on Monday at the 2025 Association of Retired Career Ambassadors of Nigeria awards ceremony in Abuja, Jonathan stated that no governor or president would claim not to have made mistakes.
“So not too long ago, a very senior politician said, ‘Oh, Jonathan was too young, and probably that’s why he made mistakes.’
“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?”
The former president defended his judgments in office, claiming that, while mistakes are unavoidable, he tried his best.
The former president emphasized Nigeria’s diplomatic successes during his term, particularly its election to the United Nations Security Council.
“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.
