Jonathan: Why I feel Guinea-Bissau coup was staged

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has dismissed military intervention in Guinea-Bissau, demanding announcement of Sunday’s election.

Daily Trust had reported how a group of military officers claimed “total control” of the country, a day after two leading candidates – President Umaro Sissoco Embalo and Fernando Dias – each declared victory.

Calling themselves the “High Military Command for the Restoration of Order”, the officers ordered the immediate suspension of the electoral process “until further notice”.

They also ordered the closure of all land, air and sea borders and an overnight curfew.

“I have been deposed,” Embalo told French broadcaster France24 in a phone call, adding that he was “currently at the general staff headquarters”.

Jonathan, who led a team of foreign observers to the nation, was among those stranded.

However, he was evacuated from the country and returned to Nigeria, on Thursday.

Addressing journalists, on Friday, Jonathan shared his experience in the country.

The Nigerian leader expressed doubt that a coup truly happened, hinting that there were signs that Embalo did not want to leave power.

“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,” he 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 said results from all nine regions had been collated and were ready for final declaration when Embaló suddenly announced a coup.

He also urged ECOWAS and the African Union (AU) to publish the results as a matter of democratic integrity.

“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,” Jonathan said.

“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 said it was troubling that Embaalo, a former ECOWAS chairman and retired military officer, could be associated with an event that disrupted the election.

“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,” he said.

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