- …FG, AU, ECOWAS condemn military coup in Guinea-Bissau
The federal government has confirmed that former President Goodluck Jonathan is safe and has left Guinea-Bissau following the military takeover in the country.
Guinea-Bissau’s presidential and legislative elections on November 23 were disrupted when a group of military officers announced that they had seized power, declaring the removal of the president and the suspension of the electoral process.
The Nigerian government condemned the forceful takeover, joining the African Union and the ECOWAS electoral missions in denouncing the coup d’état.
Jonathan, who was in the country as part of the ECOWAS Monitoring Mission at the time of the announcement, became a subject of concern over his safety.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through its spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, assured the media that the former President is safe and has already departed Guinea-Bissau.
According to him, “Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is very safe and out of Guinea-Bissau.”
Ebienfa, in a statement earlier, announced the federal government’s condemnation of Wednesday’s coup in Guinea-Bissau.
The federal government also urged all actors involved to exercise utmost restraint, prioritize peaceful dialogue, and respect the will of the people of Guinea-Bissau as expressed through their ballots.
Nigeria also urged the actors to allow the peaceful conclusion of the election with the announcement of results by the electoral management body.
Ebienfa also assured the people of Guinea-Bissau of Nigeria’s support.
The statement reads, “The Federal Government of Nigeria has learned with profound dismay and deep concern the unfortunate military coup which has led to an unconstitutional change of government in the Republic of Guinea-Bissau.
“The Federal Government of Nigeria, in the strongest possible terms, condemns this act of military insurrection, which undermines the democratic progress, constitutional order, and stability not only of Guinea-Bissau but of the entire West African sub-region. This coup d’état represents a blatant violation of the fundamental principles of the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance, which explicitly rejects any ascension to power through unconstitutional means.
“We stand in solidarity with the people of Guinea-Bissau and call for the immediate and unconditional restoration of constitutional order, the safety and security of all those detained and the full respect for the sanctity of democratic institutions in Guinea-Bissau.
“The Federal Government of Nigeria unequivocally calls on the authorities in Guinea-Bissau to ensure and guarantee the safety of all election observers still in the country on official assignment.
“The Federal Government of Nigeria urges all actors involved to exercise utmost restraint, prioritize peaceful dialogue, and respect the will of the people of Guinea-Bissau as expressed through their ballots and the peaceful conclusion of the election with the announcement of results by the electoral management body.
“We warn that those behind this act will be held accountable for their actions, which threaten to plunge the nation into chaos and reverse the hard-won gains of its democracy.
“Nigeria, as a key member of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union, will work closely with our regional and international partners to take all necessary measures to ensure the swift return to normalcy and constitutional governance in Guinea-Bissau. We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to the promotion of democracy, peace, and stability across the African continent.”
AU and ECOWAS expressed great concern over the announcement of a coup d’etat by the armed forces of Guinea-Bissau.
The heads of the missions made this known in a joint statement on Thursday.
The statement was signed by Filipe Nyusi, former President of Mozambique, Issifu Kamara, and former President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan, respectively.
They noted the orderly and peaceful conclusion of the voting process for the presidential and legislative elections and decried the disruption of the process by the military.
“We commend the people of Guinea-Bissau for their strong civic engagement and professionalism demonstrated by polling staff, security personnel, presidential candidates, and party agents throughout the voting process.
“Despite these encouraging developments, we express deep concern with the announcement of a coup d’etat by the armed forces, while the nation was waiting for the announcement of the results.
“It is regrettable that this announcement came at a time when the missions had just concluded a meeting with the two leading presidential candidates, who assured us of their willingness to accept the will of the people.
“We deplore this blatant attempt to disrupt the democratic process and the gains that have been achieved thus far,’’ they said.
They asked the African Union and the ECOWAS to take the necessary steps to restore constitutional order in the country.
They further expressed concerns over the arrests of top officials, including those who were in charge of the electoral process, urging the armed forces to immediately release the detained officials.
This, according to them, was to allow the country’s electoral process to proceed to its conclusion.
“We call on the people of Guinea-Bissau to remain calm, and we reaffirm our commitment to supporting the country on its democratic path.
“We underscore the importance of preserving peace, stability, and the well-being of the people during this sensitive period,” they added.
