Former President Goodluck Jonathan has departed Guinea-Bissau, following the coup that led to the overtake of government in the West African country.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also confirmed that Jonathan left on a special flight with members of his delegation and is safe.
“Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is very safe and out of Guinea-Bissau. He left with a special flight with members of his delegation, including Ibm Chambas,” the spokesperson for the ministry, Kimiebi Ebienfa, said.
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Jonathan, who chairs the West African Elders Forum Election Observation Mission, was in the country monitoring last Sunday’s presidential and legislative elections before the military announced the seizure of power.
Military officers in Guinea-Bissau had on Wednesday taken “total control” of the country while suspending its electoral process and closing its borders, three days after the poverty-stricken West African nation’s legislative and presidential elections.
In the early afternoon, General Denis N’Canha, head of the presidential military office, told members of the press that a command “composed of all branches of the armed forces, was taking over the leadership of the country until further notice”.
They arrested incumbent President Umaro Embalo, who had been favoured to win Sunday’s election.
On Thursday, the military appointed the chief of staff of the army, General Horta N’Tam, as the country’s new leader for the duration of one year.
FG Condemns Coup
The Nigerian government on Thursday condemned the coup and demanded the restoration of democratic order in the West African country.
In a statement, the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was dismayed by the incident and described the military takeover of power in Guinea-Bissau as “unfortunate”.
“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,” the ministry’s spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, wrote.
“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,” he added.
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ECOWAS Demands Officials’ Release
Election observers from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union (AU) also raised concerns over the coup, asking the military authorities to release government officials detained during the incident.
The observers made the call in a statement signed by the Head of the West African Elders Forum and a former Nigerian president, Goodluck Jonathan; Head of the African Union Election Observation Mission and Former President of the Republic of Mozambique, Filipe Jacinto Nyusi; and Head of the ECOWAS Election Observation Mission, Issifu Baba Braimah Kamara.
“It’s 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. We request the African Union and the ECOWAS to take the necessary steps to restore constitutional order,” the observers wrote in the statement on Wednesday.
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