Former President Goodluck Jonathan has defended his administration, saying he did his best in office, following criticism by Atiku Abubakar.
Jonathan’s response comes after Atiku, speaking during an interview on Arise TV’s Prime Time, described him as inexperienced and blamed that for challenges faced during his presidency. Atiku, who is seeking the presidential ticket of the African Democratic Congress ahead of the 2027 elections, is competing with key figures including Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. During the interview, Atiku also downplayed the political strength of some contenders across different regions while expressing dissatisfaction with the current administration.
Responding at the 2025 Association of Retired Career Ambassadors of Nigeria awards ceremony in Abuja, Jonathan said leadership inevitably comes with errors, noting that no leader is without fault. “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,” he said.