Former President Goodluck Jonathan has cast doubt on the military intervention in Guinea-Bissau, urging that the results of Sunday’s election be officially announced.
DAILY GAZETTE had earlier reported that a group of military officers declared “total control” of Guinea-Bissau, a day after both leading candidates, resident Umaro Sissoco Embaló and Fernando Dias—claimed victory.
Calling themselves the “High Military Command for the Restoration of Order,” the officers suspended the electoral process “until further notice,” closed the country’s land, air, and sea borders, and imposed an overnight curfew.
“I have been deposed,” Embaló told France24 by phone, adding that he was “currently at the general staff headquarters.”
Jonathan, who had led a team of foreign observers to Guinea-Bissau, was caught in the disruption but was later evacuated and returned to Nigeria on Thursday.
Speaking to journalists on Friday, Jonathan expressed skepticism that a real coup occurred, suggesting instead that the event was orchestrated.
“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,” Jonathan said.
“Before later, a military man came up to address the world that they were in charge of everywhere. Embaló had already announced the coup, which is strange.”
“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 mean, I’m a Nigerian close to 70 years, and I know how they keep heads of state when a coup takes place.”
“Recently, I was a mediator in Mali, and within that period, we had a military coup. Militaries don’t take over government and the sitting president that they overthrow would be allowed to be addressing press conferences and announcing that they are being arrested.”
“Who is fooling who? Basically, what happened in Guinea-Bissau is quite disturbing to me, who believes in democracy. In fact, I feel more pains than the day I called Buhari to congratulate him when I lost the election.”
Jonathan added that all nine regions had collated results ready for final declaration when Embaló suddenly announced the coup.
He urged ECOWAS and the African Union (AU) to publish the election outcomes.
“When they were almost through and we were all waiting for the results to be announced, then Embaló announced that there was a coup, that they had taken over, they had arrested him. But from all indications, nobody arrested him.”
“My conviction is that, and my charge to ECOWAS and AU is that they must announce the results. 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 should tally all those results and announce. They cannot force the military out. They must announce, let the world know who won that election. And they owe the world that responsibility.”
Jonathan also expressed concern over Embaló’s role, given his former position as ECOWAS chairman and retired military officer.
“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,” Jonathan said.
