Former President Goodluck Jonathan has challenged the characterisation of the recent military intervention in Guinea-Bissau, insisting the episode cannot be regarded as a conventional coup and urging authorities to announce the pending election results.
Jonathan, who led the West African Elders Forum Election Observation Mission during the vote, said the events in the country were unusual and troubling. He returned to Nigeria aboard an Ivorian aircraft amid growing concern for his safety following reports of instability.
Speaking in an interview on Friday, the former president described the incident as a “ceremonial coup,” noting that President Umaro Embaló himself first announced that he had been overthrown before military officers later addressed the media claiming to be in control.
Jonathan expressed dismay at the development, questioning how a sitting president could maintain open communication with global media during an alleged coup. He said the scenario contrasted sharply with how such situations typically unfold, particularly in African states.
He noted that the episode was especially painful for him, even more so than the moment he called the late Muhammadu Buhari to concede defeat in the 2015 presidential election.
Recounting how events unfolded, Jonathan said the election results were on the verge of being announced when Embaló declared he had been arrested. However, there was no evidence that the president had actually been detained.
Jonathan urged both ECOWAS and the African Union to ensure that the election results are made public. He stressed that observers from both regional bodies monitored collation across the country and that the figures cannot be altered. According to him, announcing the authentic results is essential to protecting the integrity of the electoral process.
He further called for the immediate release of opposition candidate Fernando Dias, stating that Dias had committed no offence and should not be detained.
Jonathan maintained that transparency in the handling of the Guinea-Bissau situation is crucial for safeguarding democracy in West Africa and preserving public trust in electoral institutions.
