Jonathan Fires Back at Atiku: 'I Made Mistakes but Did My Best as President'

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has rebutted claims that inexperience influenced his decisions in office. He spoke to diplomats in Abuja days after former Vice President Atiku Abubakar called him “inexperienced” during a televised interview. Jonathan admitted that every leader makes mistakes and questioned why he would need to be “100 years old” to govern. He highlighted that he took office at 53 and left at 58, and pointed to Nigeria’s election to the United Nations Security Council under his tenure as proof of strategic leadership. He warned that political instability remains West Africa’s biggest barrier to economic growth and urged ECOWAS members to uphold democratic foundations. His remarks mark one of the few times he has directly addressed partisan criticism since leaving office. The exchange with Atiku, who has also assessed other presidential hopefuls and criticized the current administration, underscores mounting tensions ahead of the 2027 election.

Use The App To Win ₦1m

Stories are shared by community members. This article does not represent the official view of NaijaWorld — the author is solely responsible for its content.