Former President Goodluck Jonathan has arrived safely in Nigeria after the military takeover in Guinea-Bissau temporarily left him stranded in the country. Jonathan had travelled as part of a joint election observation mission of the African Union (AU), ECOWAS, and the West African Elders Forum (WAEF).
The former President returned on Thursday alongside other heads of the observer missions. Upon arrival, he expressed serious concern over the coup carried out by Guinea-Bissau’s armed forces.
Nigeria Condemns Coup, Calls for Restoration of Order
The Nigerian Government strongly condemned the military intervention, describing it as an unconstitutional act that threatens peace and stability in West Africa.
In a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, Nigeria said it received the news of the coup with “profound dismay,” warning that the military’s action undermines democratic progress in Guinea-Bissau. The Federal Government called for the immediate restoration of constitutional order and demanded the safety and release of all detained officials.
Ebienfa also confirmed that former President Jonathan had been successfully evacuated and is “very safe and out of Guinea-Bissau.”
Tinubu, Regional Leaders Hold Emergency Meeting
President Bola Tinubu joined West African leaders in an emergency virtual meeting convened by ECOWAS to discuss the escalating situation in Guinea-Bissau. The summit, held via Zoom, brought together Heads of State for a swift diplomatic response to the crisis.
Tinubu, who chaired the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State until June 2025, participated from Abuja as leaders assessed the implications of the coup and charted possible steps to restore stability.
Army General Installed as Transitional Leader
Following the coup, the military named and swore in Army General Horta N’Tam as the transitional head of state for a one-year period. N’Tam previously served as head of the presidential guard before the takeover.
The coup occurred after both incumbent President Umaro Sissoco Embaló and opposition candidate Fernando Dias declared themselves winners of Sunday’s presidential election, despite official results not yet being released. The election results were originally scheduled to be announced on Thursday.
Observer Missions Condemn Disruption of Democratic Process
In a joint statement signed by Filipe Nyusi, former President of Mozambique; Issifu Kamara; and former President Goodluck Jonathan, the observer missions commended the people of Guinea-Bissau for their orderly conduct during the voting process.
They, however, expressed deep concern over the military’s decision to interrupt the electoral process.
“We deplore this blatant attempt to disrupt the democratic process and the gains achieved so far,” the missions said.
They urged the AU and ECOWAS to take decisive action to restore constitutional order and demanded the immediate release of all detained electoral officials.
Civil Society Groups Claim Coup Was Staged
Meanwhile, some civil society organisations in Guinea-Bissau accused the ousted President, Umaro Embaló, of orchestrating a staged coup to prevent the announcement of election results in the event of a loss.
According to the coalition, Popular Front, the move was allegedly designed to halt the release of official results.
“This manoeuvre aims to prevent the publication of the electoral results,” the group said.
ECOWAS Confronts Rising Wave of Coups
ECOWAS continues to face increased political instability across the region, with several countries experiencing coups in recent years. Thursday’s emergency meeting signalled the bloc’s renewed determination to curb the spread of unconstitutional government takeovers.
