Fmr President Jonathan trapped in Guinea-Bissau following coup, Reps tell FG to explore diplomatic channels
Nigeria’s former President Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, is currently trapped in Guinea Bissau, where the military on Wednesday toppled the civilian administration that was led by President Umaro Embalo.
Jonathan led members of the West African Elders Forum to monitor the presidential and parliamentary elections which held in the country on Saturday.
The former President had posted on social media on arrival: “We arrived in Bissau this evening as members of the West African Elders Forum (WAEF) Election Mission ahead of Guinea Bissau’s Presidential and Parliamentary polls scheduled for November 23, 2025. We wish the people of Guinea Bissau a peaceful, inclusive and transparent elections.”
Things went out of hand when the sitting President Embalo and the opposition candidate, Fernando Dias, both declared themselves winners, while the electoral body was yet to make an official announcement, ultimately resulting in the military coup.
The coup led by a military group which identified itself as “High Military Command for the Restoration of Order”, suspended further action on the elections “until further notice”.
In a telephone conversation with a French Broadcaster, President Embalo had said. “I have been deposed and currently at the general staff quarters.”
General Denis N’Canha, Head of the Presidential Military Office, later 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”.
N’Canha who claimed to have discovered a plan to destabilise the country, including “the introduction of weapons into the country to alter the constitutional order”, stated that the entire electoral process had been halted, all media programming suspended, and a mandatory curfew imposed.
Meanwhile the Nigerian House of Representatives has called on the Federal Government to deploy all diplomatic channels to secure the safe return of former President Jonathan who is trapped in Guinea-Bissau following the coup.
The issue was raised during Thursday’s plenary by the Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, who described it as “an urgent matter” requiring the intervention of the green chamber.
The Leader of the House, Julius Ihonvbere, took the floor thereafter, informing lawmakers that Jonathan was in the country on an international election observation assignment when the military intervention occurred, while highlighting Jonathan’s election-monitoring experience undertaken on behalf of ECOWAS, the Commonwealth, the African Union and Nigeria.
Ihonvbere who emphasized Jonathan’s safety is “a matter of national importance”, added that relevant government authorities were aware of the development and already taking necessary steps to ensure his safe return.
