Former President Goodluck Jonathan has responded to criticism from ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar, asserting that he did his best during his tenure. His remarks followed Atiku's comments in an Arise TV interview where he described Jonathan as inexperienced and said that contributed to challenges in managing the country. Atiku, a presidential aspirant under the African Democratic Congress, made the remarks while assessing his 2023 election rivals, including Labour Party candidate Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi and Rabiu Kwankwaso. Speaking at the 2025 Association of Retired Career Ambassadors of Nigeria (ARCAN) awards in Abuja, Jonathan acknowledged that mistakes are inevitable for any leader. He noted he became president in 2010 at age 53 and left office in 2015 at 58, questioning why his age was framed as a liability. Jonathan cited Nigeria's election to the United Nations Security Council during his administration as evidence of diplomatic competence. He argued that navigating such international processes required skill, not naivety. Jonathan also emphasized the importance of political stability for economic development in West Africa. He pointed to ECOWAS's struggles in enforcing democratic norms due to tensions between regional intervention and national sovereignty. The former president urged ECOWAS leaders to agree on concrete measures to ensure regional stability. He stressed that economic integration cannot succeed without strong democratic institutions. Jonathan called on Nigerian diplomats to document the nation's foreign policy history for future guidance. He credited collective efforts of Nigerians and government officials for diplomatic achievements. ARCAN President Joe Keshi said diplomacy often operates without public recognition but sustains stability and prevents conflicts.
Atiku calls Jonathan inexperienced while positioning himself as a seasoned alternative, yet offers no record of executive success to contrast with the presidency he critiques. Jonathan's reference to Nigeria's UN Security Council election stands as a measurable achievement in the exchange, while Atiku's critique rests on subjective labels. The debate leaves voters weighing unproven assertions against documented diplomatic outcomes. Neither man addresses how their past roles shaped current regional or domestic realities.
💡 NaijaBuzz is an AI-assisted news aggregator. This content is curated from third-party sources — NaijaBuzz is not the original publisher and is not responsible for the accuracy of source reporting. The NaijaBuzz Take is AI-assisted editorial opinion only, not established fact. All persons mentioned are presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction. NaijaBuzz does not endorse the views expressed in source articles.
