* Goodluck Jonathan
The Pathfinder
Tuesday April 21, 2026
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Former President Goodluck Jonathan has responded to remarks by Atiku Abubakar, who recently described him as a “decent” but “inexperienced” leader.
Atiku, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), made the comment during an interview on Arise TV, attributing some of the challenges during Jonathan’s administration to what he termed inadequate leadership preparation.
Reacting on Monday at the 2025 awards ceremony of the Association of Retired Career Ambassadors of Nigeria (ARCAN) in Abuja, Jonathan did not mention Atiku directly but addressed the criticism.
“So not too long ago, a very senior politician said Jonathan was too young and that was why he made mistakes,” he said.
“If I made mistakes, yes—nobody who becomes a governor or President will say they did not make mistakes. All human beings must make mistakes.”
The former president questioned the notion that age determines leadership capacity.
“Must I be 100 years before I run the affairs of the state?” he asked.
Jonathan also defended his record, noting that his rise to power came during a challenging period and required careful navigation.
“If I were so naive, I don’t think I would have been able to navigate that process,” he added.
Goodluck Jonathan assumed office as Nigeria’s president following the death of Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, a transition widely regarded as a critical moment in the country’s democratic history.