Jonathan’s legacy can’t be diminished by false claims, ex-minister replies Atiku

Former Minister of National Planning and Minister of State for Finance, Bashir Yuguda, has defended former President Goodluck Jonathan, insisting that his legacy of democratic leadership, economic reforms, and statesmanship cannot be undermined by what he described as false narratives.

The former Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, Yuguda, said in a statement issued to journalists on Friday that the former President governed with honour, experience, vision, and restraint, particularly during the 2015 transfer of power.

Speaking during a recent interview on Prime Time Special on ARISE News Channel, Atiku Abubakar said many young leaders in Nigeria have found it difficult to succeed in office because they lack adequate experience and are not fully prepared for the demands of governance.

The former Vice-President pointed to Nigeria’s leadership transition after the tenure of the late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, stating that although Yar’Adua had a promising start in office, the administration that followed under Goodluck Jonathan later struggled amid growing national challenges.

“For instance, like this case of Umaru Yar’Adua, who started very well and was succeeded by Goodluck Jonathan. I know Jonathan very well — a decent young man — but he was inexperienced, and that, I believe, also contributed to his failure to manage the affairs of the country, particularly when he was faced with challenges,” he said.

Reacting to the former Vice-President’s remarks, Yuguda described Atiku’s comments as inaccurate and inconsistent with the facts.

He stressed that before Jonathan took the presidential oath, he had already served in key executive positions as Deputy Governor, Governor, Vice-President, and later Acting President during the illness of the late Yar’Adua, adding that these were not ceremonial roles but critical leadership experiences that prepared him for governance at the highest level.

The former minister stated, “During that period, Nigeria’s economic profile expanded significantly. The country attained the status of Africa’s largest economy, attracted strong investor confidence, and maintained relative stability in key indicators. Poverty levels declined to some of the lowest recorded since the return to democratic rule in 1999. These are not retrospective claims; they are outcomes documented by credible institutions.

“In agriculture, the administration moved the conversation from subsistence to sustainability. Reforms in the sector improved food availability and earned Nigeria global recognition for progress towards hunger reduction targets.

“The Jonathan administration revived train routes across Nigeria to provide an inexpensive alternative to road and air travel. On behalf of the President, I personally commissioned the rehabilitation and restoration of the Zaria–Gusau–Kaura Namoda rail line, which had deteriorated over time following 26 years of neglect.

“His vision for transformational development also found expression in the attention he gave to the education sector. He established no fewer than 12 new federal universities, with nine of them in the North, and about 165 Almajiri schools to enhance access to education across the country. Those of us in government at the time understood that these gains were the result of focused policy execution, not happenstance.”

Yuguda said what stood out most about former President Jonathan to many of those who served with him was his temperament.

The former Minister of State for Finance continued:
“He possessed a calmness that steadied governance, even in moments of pressure. I recall numerous occasions when he would discourage any attempt by his appointees to respond sharply to critics, including former leaders. His position was clear: leadership must not descend into unnecessary confrontation.

“That disposition was consistent with the loyalty he demonstrated to his own principal, President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua of blessed memory. Even in trying times, he upheld the dignity of that office and the sanctity of that relationship. Even as a former President, he has continued to visit his successors, including President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to consult them on important national and sub-regional issues. It is a standard worth reflecting on, especially when contrasted with the well-known strains that existed between Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and President Olusegun Obasanjo during their time in office.

“No leader is beyond criticism, and President Jonathan himself would be the first to acknowledge that he is human and capable of error. But to reduce his presidency to a question of inexperience is to overlook both the depth of his preparation and the substance of his record.

“His most enduring legacy, in my view, lies in his respect for democratic values. Despite the security challenges at the time of the 2015 elections, Jonathan did not use them as an excuse to prolong his stay in office. He not only ensured that elections were conducted even in areas with the most difficult security challenges, he also pioneered the deployment of technology to enhance the transparency and credibility of the electoral process.”

Yuguda recalled that Jonathan honourably conceded power without hesitation, placing national stability above personal ambition — a decision he said profoundly shaped Nigeria’s democratic culture.

The statement added, “President Jonathan has remained consistent even out of office, measured in speech, respectful of institutions, and disinclined towards inflammatory commentary. That is why he has continued to be in high demand in peace negotiations and election observation missions within and outside Africa. In an era where political discourse is often heated, that restraint is not weakness; it is statesmanship.

“Ultimately, Nigerians will judge based on evidence, not assertions. They can differentiate between leadership that left tangible footprints and narratives that seek, after the fact, to redefine it. President Jonathan’s contributions are visible, documented, and enduring.

“They do not require embellishment, and they certainly cannot be diminished by revisionist claims, especially by one whose claim to experience in the last two decades has remained an unrealised ambition to be elected President of our great country.”

“We must reflect on what might have become of our nation’s democracy if those who now criticise Jonathan had found themselves in his position when his former boss, President Yar’Adua of blessed memory, fell ill.

“Would they have acted with the same wisdom, decorum, and restraint that Jonathan demonstrated in the interest of preserving the nation’s fragile democracy, or would personal ambition have driven them to destabilise it?” he asked.