Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has safely departed Guinea-Bissau following Wednesday’s military coup that overthrew the country’s government, the Federal Government confirmed on Thursday.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja, Kimiebi Ebienfa, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said Jonathan “is very safe and out of Guinea-Bissau,” noting that he left on a special flight with members of his delegation, including Ibn Chambas.
Jonathan had travelled to the country as head of the West African Elders Forum (WAEF) Election Observation Mission, where he was monitoring last Sunday’s presidential and legislative elections before the military announced it had seized power.
In a joint statement on Wednesday, Jonathan; Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, former President of Mozambique and head of the African Union Election Observation Mission; and Issifu Baba Braimah Kamara, head of the ECOWAS Election Observation Mission, condemned the coup as “a blatant attempt to disrupt the democratic process.”
The observers expressed regret that the military intervened despite earlier assurances from both leading presidential candidates that they would accept the election results.
They called for calm and urged the African Union and ECOWAS to take necessary steps to restore constitutional order, stressing the urgency of safeguarding peace, stability, and the well-being of the Bissau-Guinean people.
