Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has dismissed claims by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar that inexperience influenced his decisions while in office, insisting that his leadership was guided by sincerity and responsibility.

Jonathan’s reaction follows recent remarks by Atiku during a televised interview, where he described the former president as “inexperienced” and suggested that it affected his handling of national issues while in power.

Addressing diplomats in Abuja, Jonathan rejected the criticism, noting that leadership inevitably involves making difficult decisions that may later be judged as mistakes.

“No one who has ever served as a governor or president will claim they did not make mistakes. If I made mistakes, yes, that is part of being human,” he said.

He also questioned the basis of the age-related critique, pointing out that he assumed office in 2010 at the age of 53 and left in 2015 at 58.

“They say I was too young. Must I have been 100 years old before I could lead a country?” he queried.

The former president maintained that his administration recorded significant achievements, particularly in Nigeria’s diplomatic engagements. He cited the country’s successful election into the United Nations Security Council during his tenure as evidence of strategic global engagement.

“If I were truly naive, I would not have been able to navigate that process successfully. This points to deliberate and strategic engagement on the global stage,” he added.

Jonathan further expanded his remarks to address broader governance challenges in West Africa, warning that political instability remains a major obstacle to economic growth in the region.

He stressed that the vision of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) cannot be achieved without strong democratic institutions across member states.

“We cannot achieve economic progress if our societies remain politically unstable,” he said.

While acknowledging that enforcing democratic standards within ECOWAS can generate tensions around national sovereignty, Jonathan urged regional leaders to prioritise collective stability.

“That responsibility lies with heads of state working together to ensure order and continuity,” he noted.

Atiku, a prominent figure in the emerging opposition coalition and a presidential aspirant under the African Democratic Congress, had also assessed other political actors in the interview, including Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, and Rabiu Kwankwaso, while expressing dissatisfaction with the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The exchange highlights intensifying political undercurrents ahead of the 2027 presidential election, as key figures begin early positioning.

Jonathan, who has largely maintained a statesman posture since leaving office in 2015, has rarely engaged directly in partisan disputes, making his response a notable departure from his usual approach.