•Jonathan
A former Minister and diplomat, Bashir Yuguda, has said that former President Goodluck Jonathan’s record in office remains clear, documented and beyond attempts at revision.
Yuguda made the remarks in a statement issued yesterday in Abuja, while responding to recent comments attributed to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar that suggested the challenges faced by the Jonathan administration were a consequence of inexperience.
The former Minister of State for Works said the description was misleading, insisting that Jonathan’s rise through the ranks of executive leadership had prepared him adequately for the presidency, reports Saturday Independent.
According to him, Jonathan’s journey from deputy governor to governor, vice president, and later acting president gave him broad exposure to governance long before he assumed office as substantive president.
“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 he ever took the presidential oath, he had traversed the full spectrum of executive leadership, deputy governor, governor, vice-president, and, at a delicate national moment, acting president following the illness of President Umaru Yar’Adua of blessed memory.
“Those were not passive roles; they were defining experiences in governance at the highest levels” he said
Yuguda said that from his own experience working with Jonathan, the former president’s style was marked by deliberation, restraint and consultation rather than drama or impulsive decision-making.
He said decisions under the administration were often taken after due consideration, with institutions allowed to function as they should.
“That approach may not have satisfied those who equate leadership with constant spectacle, but it delivered results that can be independently verified,” he said.
The former supervising minister said Nigeria recorded major milestones under Jonathan, including the attainment of Africa’s largest economy, improved investor confidence and relative stability in several key indicators.
He also said poverty levels dropped to some of the lowest figures recorded since the return to democratic rule in 1999.
“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 toward hunger reduction targets,” he said.
Yuguda further recalled Jonathan’s commitment to reviving the rail sector, noting in particular the rehabilitation and restoration of the Zaria-Gusau-Kaura Namoda rail line, which he said had been abandoned for 26 years.
He also highlighted Jonathan’s investment in human capital development, citing the establishment of 12 new federal universities and 165 Almajiri schools as part of efforts to widen access to education.
Yuguda said Jonathan’s administration also strengthened Nigeria’s international profile through the calibre of professionals appointed into government.
“Nigeria’s voice carried weight internationally during President Jonathan’s tenure.
“The country secured two terms on the United Nations Security Council within a relatively short span, an indication of diplomatic goodwill and strategic engagement,” he said.
He added that the international rise of former ministers such as Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, Dr Omobola Johnson, Ms Arunma Oteh and Bright Okogwu reflected Jonathan’s ability to assemble world-class technocrats.
“It is for all these and his endless diplomatic shuttles that Jonathan has continued to bag awards and international recognitions as a great symbol of peace and democracy not only in Africa but globally,” he said.
Yuguda also praised Jonathan’s calm temperament, saying it helped to steady governance even during difficult moments.
“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,” he said.
He added that Jonathan had continued to show the same spirit in retirement by visiting his successors, including President Bola Tinubu, to engage on national and sub-regional issues.
The former Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar said that while every leader could be criticised, it would be unfair to reduce Jonathan’s years in office to a question of inexperience.
He said Jonathan’s most enduring legacy lay in his respect for democratic values, especially his decision not to cling to power after the 2015 elections despite the security challenges facing the country.
“He not only ensured that elections were conducted even in areas with the most difficult security challenges, he also pioneered the deployment of technology at a critical juncture, he chose the path of honour, conceding power without hesitation and reinforcing the principle that the stability of the nation outweighs personal ambition.
“That decision alone altered the trajectory of Nigeria’s democratic culture profoundly,” he said.
Yuguda said Jonathan has remained consistent in conduct since leaving office, describing him as measured in speech, respectful of institutions and unwilling to engage in inflammatory remarks.
“That is why he has continued to be in high demand in peace negotiations and election observations within and outside Africa.
“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 by evidence, not by assertions, and maintained that the former president remains a highly celebrated national and international statesman whose stewardship helped preserve Nigeria’s fragile democracy during periods of uncertainty.
