The Federal Government has confirmed that former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is safe and has departed Guinea Bissau following the military coup that overthrew the country’s government.
The confirmation was given on Thursday by the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, during an interview with journalists in Abuja.
According to Ebienfa, Jonathan left Guinea Bissau aboard a special flight alongside members of his delegation, including former ECOWAS Commission President, Mohamed Chambas. He assured Nigerians that the former president was not harmed at any point during the unrest.
Jonathan had been in Guinea Bissau leading the West African Elders Forum Election Observation Mission to monitor last Sunday’s presidential and legislative elections before the military announced it had seized power.
In a joint statement released on Wednesday, Jonathan, alongside former Mozambican President and Head of the African Union Election Observation Mission, Filipe Nyusi, and Head of the ECOWAS Election Observation Mission, Issifu Kamara, strongly condemned the coup. They described it as a deliberate attempt to disrupt the democratic process in Guinea Bissau.
The trio appealed for calm among residents and reaffirmed their commitment to supporting the country during what they described as a sensitive period. They also stressed the importance of preserving peace, stability and the wellbeing of the Bissau Guinean people.
The Federal Government also condemned the coup in strong terms, warning that it poses a serious threat to democracy and regional stability in West Africa.
In a separate statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it received the news with profound dismay and deep concern, describing the development as an unconstitutional change of government in violation of the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance.
