Former President Goodluck Jonathan has pushed back against criticism from ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar, rejecting claims that his age affected his performance in office.
Atiku, who is seeking the presidency under the African Democratic Congress, had described Jonathan as inexperienced, attributing challenges during his administration to that factor.
Responding on Monday at the 2025 awards ceremony of the Association of Retired Career Ambassadors of Nigeria in Abuja, Jonathan said mistakes are inevitable in leadership but insisted that age was not a valid measure of competence.
“If I made mistakes, yes, nobody who becomes a governor or a president will say you did not make mistakes,” he said.
He added, “I became president in 2010 at the age of 53 and left in 2015 at 58, and they say I was too young. Must it have been 100 years before I ran the affairs of the state?”
Jonathan maintained that his decisions while in office were guided by national interest, pointing to Nigeria’s diplomatic achievements, including its election to the United Nations Security Council during his tenure.
“If I were so naive, I don’t think I would have been able to navigate through that process,” he said.
Beyond the exchange, the former president raised concerns over political instability in West Africa, warning that it continues to undermine economic development in the region.
“We cannot progress economically if we are very unstable societies politically,” he said.
Jonathan noted that while the vision behind the Economic Community of West African States was rooted in integration, recurring political crises have slowed progress and complicated enforcement of democratic norms.
He called on regional leaders to strengthen cooperation and prioritise political stability, stressing that economic integration would remain elusive without strong democratic institutions.
At the event, former Head of State Yakubu Gowon reflected on the formation of the regional bloc in 1975, describing it as a product of post-war diplomatic engagements and a shared vision for cooperation.
Also speaking, President of the Association of Retired Career Ambassadors of Nigeria, Joe Keshi, highlighted the importance of recognising excellence in diplomacy.
“Diplomacy is one profession where success is often invisible, reflected not by news coverage, but by maintained stability and prevented conflicts,” he said.
The Chief of Army Staff, Waheed Shaibu, also paid tribute to Gowon, describing him as a symbol of unity and visionary leadership.