Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain Atiku Abubakar has attributed the perceived failure of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration to a deficiency in leadership experience, describing the Bayelsa-born politician as a decent individual who was ill-equipped to manage the complex demands of Nigeria’s presidency.
Atiku made the remarks during an exclusive interview on Arise TV on Wednesday, offering a candid assessment of Jonathan’s tenure even as he framed the criticism within a broader concern about the quality of political leadership across Nigeria.
“I know Jonathan very well. He is a decent young man but inexperienced. That attributed to his failure to manage the affairs of the country, particularly when he was faced with challenges,” Atiku said.
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Jonathan, who governed Bayelsa State from 2005 to 2007, rose to the presidency in 2010 following the death of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, under whom he had served as vice president from 2007. He contested and lost the 2015 presidential election to Muhammadu Buhari, becoming the first sitting president in Nigerian history to lose a re-election bid.
A Systemic Problem, Says Atiku
Beyond his assessment of Jonathan, Atiku extended his critique to state governments across the country, arguing that Nigeria’s leadership challenges were symptomatic of a deeper, systemic problem rather than an isolated case.
He noted that several state governments were currently being run by individuals he described as inexperienced young men, who face similar limitations in delivering governance.
“A number of states are being headed by inexperienced young men who also require experience to be able to succeed. I think it is a systemic issue because we had more failures at both state and at federal levels,” Atiku said.
Call for Leadership Training
The former vice president used the occasion to advocate for the institutionalisation of leadership development programmes for young Nigerians, expressing a personal desire to contribute to such an initiative if given the opportunity.
According to him, Nigeria has consistently suffered from a shortage of leaders who combine competence with experience, and this gap, he argued, must be addressed through deliberate capacity building.
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“We did not have capable presidents with experience at the helms of affairs. There is a lack of rare leadership training in our young upcoming generation. I wish I could establish a leadership training. We really need it in this country,” Atiku stated.
Jonathan’s spokesperson, Ikechukwu Eze, had not responded to a request for comment on Atiku’s remarks as of the time of this report.
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