The Federal Government has confirmed that former President Goodluck Jonathan is safe and has departed Guinea-Bissau after a sudden military takeover disrupted the country’s general elections.
The presidential and legislative polls, held on November 23, were thrown into chaos when military officers announced they had seized power, declared the president removed, and suspended the electoral process.
Nigeria swiftly condemned the coup, aligning with the African Union (AU) and the ECOWAS electoral missions, all of whom denounced the forceful interruption of the democratic process.
Jonathan, who was in Guinea-Bissau as part of the ECOWAS Monitoring Mission, became a major point of concern as tensions escalated.
In a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Nigerian government assured the public that the former president had been safely evacuated.
“Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is very safe and out of Guinea-Bissau,” the ministry’s spokesperson stated.
Meanwhile, the AU and ECOWAS missions have voiced deep concern over the coup announcement, describing it as a deliberate attempt to derail the country’s democratic progression.
In a joint statement signed by Filipe Nyusi, former President of Mozambique; Issifu Kamara; and Goodluck Jonathan, the missions commended Guinea-Bissau’s citizens, polling staff, security agencies, and party agents for their peaceful conduct during voting.
They expressed regret that the military intervened just as the missions concluded discussions with the two leading presidential candidates—both of whom had pledged to respect the final results.
“We deplore this blatant attempt to disrupt the democratic process and the gains achieved thus far,” the missions said.
They urged the AU and ECOWAS to take decisive steps to restore constitutional order and demanded the immediate release of detained electoral officials to allow the process to continue.
Appealing for calm among citizens, the missions reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Guinea-Bissau through the crisis.
“We underscore the importance of preserving peace, stability, and the well-being of the people during this sensitive period,” they added.
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