Former President Goodluck Jonathan has returned to Abuja after being evacuated from Guinea-Bissau following the outbreak of a military coup in the West African country.
He arrived safely at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, late on Thursday.
Jonathan, who was in Guinea-Bissau as head of the West African Elders Forum Election Observation Mission, had arrived in the country to monitor last Sunday’s presidential and legislative elections. His team was still carrying out its duties when the military announced that it had taken control of the government.
In a joint statement on Wednesday, Filipe Nyusi, former president of Mozambique and head of the African Union Election Observation Mission; Issifu Kamara, head of the ECOWAS Election Observation Mission; and Jonathan condemned the coup, describing it as a deliberate attempt to derail Guinea-Bissau’s democratic process.
The three leaders urged residents to remain calm and restated their commitment to supporting the country “during this sensitive period,” while underscoring the need to safeguard peace, stability and the well-being of the Bissau-Guinean people.
The Federal Government of Nigeria also condemned the coup, warning that the development poses a serious threat to democracy and regional stability.
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It would be recalled. that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) had earlier on Thursday said that it was unaware of the whereabouts of former President Goodluck Jonathan and other African leaders deployed to Guinea-Bissau to monitor the country’s presidential election.
Jonathan and other African leaders were reported to have been trapped in Guinea-Bissau after the military announced the forceful takeover of power.
Guinea-Bissau’s military high command on Thursday inaugurated General Horta Nta as the head of the military government.
Nta was the army chief of staff until the coup and a close ally of deposed President Umaro Sissoco Embalo.
Election observers from the African Union and West African regional bloc ECOWAS, in a joint statement on Wednesday night expressing “deep concern” over the coup announcement, said officials in charge of the electoral process had been arrested and called for their immediate release.
ECOWAS spokesperson, Joel Ahofodji, told Reuters that Jonathan, who had been observing the election as part of the West African Elders Forum, was not reachable on Thursday.
“I wouldn’t say that he (Goodluck Jonathan) and others are trapped in Guinea-Bissau, but we don’t know his whereabouts,” Ahofodji said.
Edwin Snowe, a senator from Liberia who had been among a group of parliamentary observers, said he left the country on Tuesday and had been unable since Wednesday to reach fellow observers who were still there.
He said: “We don’t intend for the military team of ECOWAS to intervene.
“What we are doing now is to encourage dialogue and return to democracy.”
