Former President Goodluck Jonathan has dismissed the military intervention in Guinea-Bissau as “a ceremonial coup”, insisting that the real danger lies not in the theatrics that played out in Bissau, but in the abrupt suspension of a presidential election whose results, he says, must now be announced by ECOWAS and the African Union.
Jonathan, who served as Head of the West African Elders Forum Election Observation Mission during last Sunday’s presidential and legislative elections, spoke in Abuja on Friday after returning from the crisis-torn country.
‘It Was Not a Coup — It Was a Script’
Jonathan questioned the credibility of President Umaro Embaló’s claim that he had been arrested during the takeover.
“Specifically, what happened in Guinea-Bissau was not a coup; maybe, for want of a better word, I would say it was a ceremonial coup. It is the president, President Umaro Embaló, that announced the coup,” he said.
He noted the bizarre sequence of events: the president publicly declaring a coup, continuing to use his personal phone, and granting interviews while supposedly being detained.
“Not only announcing the coup, but Embaló, while the coup took place, was using his phone and addressing media organisations across the world that he had been arrested. I’m a Nigerian, and I know how heads of state are treated when there’s a coup. Who is fooling who?”
Calling the spectacle “disturbing,” Jonathan said he was personally shaken.
“I feel more pained than the day I called Buhari to congratulate him when I lost as a sitting president.”
Election Halt ‘A Return to Dark Days’
Jonathan expressed deep concern that the suspension of the electoral process signals a relapse into the instability that characterised Guinea-Bissau between 2011 and 2014.
He said the election itself was peaceful, transparent, and credible—until the sudden halt.
“When they were almost through and we were all waiting for the results to be announced, then Embaló announced that there was a coup… But from all indications, nobody arrested him.”
He revealed that results from all nine regions had already been collated before the process was derailed.
Jonathan to ECOWAS, AU: ‘Announce the Results Now’
In one of his strongest public interventions since leaving office, Jonathan demanded that ECOWAS and the AU publish the results that their officials jointly observed and documented.
“They have the results because AU and ECOWAS officials were at all the regions when the results were collated. They cannot change those results… They must announce, let the world know who won that election. They owe the world that responsibility.”
He emphasised that while the military currently controls state institutions, announcing the results is crucial to preserving democratic integrity.
“They cannot force the military out. But they must announce who won that election.”
Calls for Release of Opposition Candidate
Jonathan also criticised President Embaló’s handling of the crisis, particularly the detention of opposition candidate Fernando Dias.
“He has not committed any offence,” Jonathan said, urging his immediate release.
He expressed dismay that a former ECOWAS chair and retired senior military officer like Embaló would be linked to an event that disrupted a democratic process he should have protected.
“He should be the person that can prevent any coup in Guinea-Bissau. I don’t expect a coup that would remove him from office.”
