Detained President Embalo,
Election monitoring teams from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union (AU) have strongly criticized the military takeover in Guinea-Bissau, urging the junta to immediately free government officials arrested during the upheaval.
The joint statement was issued by Goodluck Jonathan, former Nigerian president and head of the West African Elders Forum; Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, former president of Mozambique and head of the AU Election Observation Mission and Issifu Baba Braimah Kamara, head of the ECOWAS Election Observation Mission.
According to the observers, voting across the country had been calm and orderly.
However, they expressed “deep concern” over the military’s announcement of a coup while the nation awaited official election results.
They noted that the development was particularly troubling because they had just concluded meetings with the two leading presidential candidates, both of whom had pledged to respect the outcome of the polls.
The statement condemned what it described as an attempt to undermine democratic progress and urged ECOWAS and the AU to act swiftly to restore constitutional governance.
The missions also called on citizens to remain peaceful during the political uncertainty, stressing the importance of safeguarding stability and the well-being of the population at this critical time.
On Wednesday, Guinea-Bissau’s armed forces declared they had taken “total control” of the state, suspending the electoral process and shutting the country’s borders, three days after legislative and presidential elections took place in the economically challenged West African nation.
General Denis N’Canha, head of the presidential military office, announced that a unified command structure from all branches of the military would oversee the country “until further notice.”
He delivered the statement while flanked by armed soldiers.
President Umaro Sissoco Embalo, considered the frontrunner in the election, was reported to be inside a building behind military headquarters with the chief of staff and the interior minister when the coup unfolded.
Embalo later confirmed he had been arrested inside the presidential palace.
Among those detained are: General Biague Na Ntan, Chief of Staff, General Mamadou Traore, Deputy Chief of Staff and Botche Cande, Interior Minister.
