Saturday November 29, 2025
www.thenewsdesk.ng
By Idorenyin UMOREN
Nigeria’s Former President Dr Goodluck Jonathan has described the recent political upheaval in Guinea-Bissau as a “ceremonial coup,” rather than a military takeover.
Dr Jonathan stated this while addressing newsmen on Friday, November 28, in Abuja, after returning from Guinea-Bissau where he had been temporarily trapped by the incident.
He described the bizarre circumstances surrounding the coup announcement by the sitting President, Umaro Mbalo, as strange.
“It was not a coup. Maybe some people would describe it as such for want of a better word—I would say maybe it was a ceremonial coup.
“For two reasons: it was President Mbalo who announced the coup.
“Later, the military men came out to address the world, saying they were in charge everywhere, even though Mbalo had already announced the coup, which is strange.
Not only did he announce the coup, but Mbalo, while the coup was taking place, was using his phone and addressing media organisations across the world, claiming he had been arrested,” he said.
Dr Jonathan, who recalled his recent role as ECOWAS mediator in Mali when the military took over government, said that soldiers did not overthrow a government and still allow the ousted president to be addressing press conferences or commenting on his arrest.
He questioned, “Who is fooling who?”
The ex-President said what happened in Guinea-Bissau was quite disturbing, adding that he felt more pain than the day he, as sitting President, called former President Muhammadu Buhari to congratulate him after losing the 2023 election.
He said the development appeared to be taking Guinea-Bissau back to “those dark days” when the military acted with impunity, adding that the situation was totally unacceptable.
Ex-President Jonathan, who was part of the West African Elders Forum, WAEF, election observer mission to the country, said all observer missions in Guinea-Bissau believed the election was peaceful and that the result was expected to be announced.
“You know, results for presidential elections are collated at different levels.
“The nine regions’ results were ready. So they were collating them at the capital.
“When they were almost through, and we were all waiting for the results to be announced, then Mbalo announced that there is coup that they have taken over.
“They have arrested him. But from all indications, nobody arrested him,” he said.
Dr Jonathan emphasising the need to uphold the integrity of the electoral process in the sub-region, called on ECOWAS and AU officials to go ahead to tally the results and announce it for the world to know what happened in Guinea-Bissau.
“My conviction and my charge to ECOWAS and AU is that they must announce their results.
“They have the results, because AU and ECOWAS officials were at all 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, but they must announce. Let the world know who won that election.
“They owe the world that responsibility,” Jonathan said.
