Jonathan: Ex-Minister Yuguda tackles Atiku

By Emmanuel Oloniruha

A former Minister and diplomat, Bashir Yuguda has described claims by former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar that former President Goodluck Jonathan was inexperienced when he governed the country.

Atiku had said in a television interview claimed that Jonathan, though a “decent young man,” lacked the experience required to manage the country’s challenges, especially during periods of crisis.

The former VP then suggested that the challenges faced by Jonathan’s administration were due to inexperience.

But while faulting Atiku’s claim, Yuguda described the “inexperience” label as a flawed narrative.

According to the former minister, Jonathan was a democrat par excellence and an international statesman whose leadership was defined by deliberate action rather than lack of experience.

Yuguda, a former Supervising Minister of National Planning, said Jonathan’s leadership style was deliberate rather than dramatic, and thoughtful rather than impulsive.

“Having worked closely with President Jonathan across critical sectors of government, I find the label of ‘inexperience’ not only inaccurate but difficult to reconcile with the facts.

“Before taking the presidential oath, he had traversed the full spectrum of executive leadership; deputy governor, governor, vice-president, and acting president at a delicate national moment following the illness of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.

“Those were not passive roles; they were defining experiences in governance at the highest levels,” he said.

He said decisions under the administration were carefully weighed, consultations encouraged, and institutions allowed to function.

“That approach may not have satisfied those who equate leadership with constant spectacle, but it delivered results that can be independently verified,” he said.

According to him, Nigeria attained the status of Africa’s largest economy during Jonathan’s tenure, attracted strong investor confidence, and maintained relative stability in key indicators.

He added that poverty levels declined to some of the lowest recorded since the return to democratic rule in 1999.

On agriculture, Yuguda said reforms under Jonathan shifted the sector from subsistence to sustainability, improving food availability and earning global recognition for progress toward hunger reduction targets.

He also cited efforts in the rail sector, including the rehabilitation of the Zaria–Gusau–Kaura Namoda rail line, which had been neglected for 26 years.

Yuguda further highlighted Jonathan’s commitment to education through the establishment of 12 federal universities and 165 Almajiri schools to expand access nationwide.

On foreign policy, he said Nigeria’s global standing improved, noting that the country secured two terms on the United Nations Security Council within a relatively short period.

He added that the global recognition of former ministers such as Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Akinwumi Adesina, Omobola Johnson, Arunma Oteh and Bright Okogu reflected Jonathan’s ability to assemble a team of world-class professionals.

Yuguda also commended Jonathan’s temperament, describing him as calm and steady even under pressure.

“That disposition was consistent with the loyalty he demonstrated to his principal, President Yar’Adua, even in difficult times,” he said.

He said Jonathan had continued to engage national leaders, including President Bola Tinubu, on important national and sub-regional issues.

Yuguda, a former Nigerian Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, said while no leader was beyond criticism, reducing Jonathan’s presidency to a question of inexperience overlooked both the depth of his preparation and the substance of his record.

He maintained that Jonathan remained a highly regarded national and international statesman whose actions helped preserve Nigeria’s democracy during periods of uncertainty.

According to him, Jonathan’s most enduring legacy lies in his respect for democratic values, especially his decision to concede defeat in the 2015 presidential election.

“That decision reinforced the principle that the stability of the nation outweighs personal ambition and altered Nigeria’s democratic trajectory in a profound way,” he said.

Yuguda added that Jonathan had remained measured in speech, respectful of institutions, and committed to peacebuilding efforts across Africa and beyond.

“In an era where political discourse is often heated, that restraint is not weakness; it is statesmanship,” he said.

He said Nigerians would ultimately judge Jonathan based on evidence, not assertions.