Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has been caught in the middle of a fast unfolding political storm in Guinea Bissau, after a group of military officers announced they had taken over the government.
Jonathan, who travelled as part of the West African Elders Forum observer mission, is now stranded alongside hundreds of international observers following the abrupt suspension of the electoral process. The country had been preparing to announce official results from its presidential and parliamentary polls before the takeover was declared.
According to reports, many foreign observers rushed to the airport immediately after news of the broke, but all routes out of the country were sealed off, leaving them stuck within the capital Bissau.
The self-styled “High Military Command for the Restoration of Order” declared that it had assumed “total control” of the nation. This followed a tense standoff in which both leading candidates — incumbent President Umaro Sissoco Embalo and opponent Fernando Dias — claimed victory, despite the electoral commission not yet announcing results.
The military leaders ordered an immediate suspension of the electoral process “until further notice,” shut all land, air and sea borders, and imposed an overnight curfew.
President Embalo confirmed to France24 that he had been “deposed” and was being held at the military headquarters.
Opposition leader Domingos Simoes Pereira has also been arrested. Reports indicate that internet access is being disrupted across parts of the country as the situation escalates.
The alleged leader of the takeover, Denis N’Canha, formerly served as head of the presidential guard — a twist analysts say raises deeper questions about internal fractures within the government.
Jonathan had announced his mission’s arrival days earlier, expressing hopes for a peaceful and transparent election. A follow up post on election day detailed his team’s visits to polling stations and reaffirmed WAEF’s commitment to democratic stability in the region.
But just 48 hours later, the situation dramatically changed, leaving Jonathan and many others awaiting clarity, calm and a safe passage out of the country.
