Jonathan rebuts Atiku, says ‘I did my best in office’

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has defended his record in office, insisting he gave his best while leading the country, despite criticisms from former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

Jonathan’s response followed Atiku’s remarks during an interview on Prime Time on Arise TV, where he described the ex-president as inexperienced and blamed that for lapses during his administration.

Atiku, who is seeking the presidential ticket of the African Democratic Congress, argued that Jonathan’s inexperience contributed to governance challenges, even as he assessed the political strength of other contenders, including Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi and Rabiu Kwankwaso.

Speaking on Monday at the 2025 awards ceremony of the Association of Retired Career Ambassadors of Nigeria in Abuja, Jonathan dismissed the criticism, noting that mistakes are inevitable in leadership.

He said, “Nobody who becomes a governor or president will claim they never made mistakes. If I made mistakes, yes—but that is human.”

Jonathan also questioned claims about his age and experience while in office, 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.

Highlighting achievements under his administration, Jonathan pointed to Nigeria’s successful election to the United Nations Security Council on two occasions, stressing that such diplomatic feats required strategic leadership.

“If I were naive, I wouldn’t have been able to navigate that process,” he said.

Beyond domestic politics, the former president expressed concern over instability in West Africa, warning that economic growth in the region would remain elusive without political stability. He added that while the founders of ECOWAS envisioned strong economic integration, persistent governance challenges continue to undermine progress.

According to him, efforts to enforce democratic norms within ECOWAS often clash with national sovereignty, making regional consensus difficult.

“We cannot progress economically if we are politically unstable,” Jonathan stressed, urging West African leaders to work collectively toward stability.

He also called on Nigerian diplomats to properly document the country’s foreign policy history to guide future administrations.

At the event, former Head of State Yakubu Gowon reflected on the creation of ECOWAS in 1975, describing it as a collective effort driven by the need for regional cooperation after Nigeria’s civil war.

Gowon credited the initiative to broad consultations with West African leaders and acknowledged the contributions of government institutions and civil servants.

The president of ARCAN, Joe Keshi, said the ceremony recognised excellence in diplomacy and coincided with the bloc’s 50th anniversary, describing ECOWAS as a “bold experiment in regional integration.”

Also speaking, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Waheed Shaibu, praised Gowon’s legacy, calling him a symbol of unity and visionary leadership, while commending ARCAN’s role in shaping discourse on Nigeria’s international engagement.