Jonathan Says Guinea-Bissau Power Grab Hurt More Than His 2015 Election Loss

Former President Goodluck Jonathan says the recent political crisis in Guinea-Bissau was more painful to him than conceding defeat in Nigeria’s 2015 presidential election.

Jonathan, who spoke in a video interview, explained that the incident shook him deeply because of his long-standing involvement in stabilising democracy in the West African nation.

He had travelled to Guinea-Bissau as part of the West African Elders Forum to observe presidential and parliamentary elections. While observer missions from regional and continental bodies were still conducting assessments, the military abruptly seized control, leaving Jonathan and his delegation stranded and raising concerns for their safety.

Jonathan, who was later evacuated and returned to Nigeria, described the experience as unsettling and troubling for someone committed to democratic governance.

“What happened in Guinea-Bissau is disturbing to me as someone who believes strongly in democracy. I actually felt more pain than the day I called Muhammadu Buhari to concede defeat as a sitting president,” he said.

Jonathan recalled that Nigeria played a major role in resolving Guinea-Bissau’s earlier crisis in 2011 and 2012, culminating in the 2013 elections. He said the latest political situation did not resemble a typical military coup.

He criticised President Umaro Embaló’s unusual early announcement of his own ‘arrest’—even while actively communicating with international media—describing it as bizarre and inconsistent with how genuine coups unfold.

Citing reports from ECOWAS, the AU and other observer missions, Jonathan said the elections had been peaceful. He questioned how results could be interrupted by a sudden claim of a coup announced first by the sitting president himself.

He said, “It was strange that the president was the one announcing a coup, while still using his phone freely during the supposed arrest. That doesn’t align with what we know about military takeovers. No one should play on people’s intelligence.”

He urged regional bodies to publish the complete election results and called for the release of opposition leader Fernando Dias, insisting he had committed no offence.

Jonathan also narrated how he was evacuated, explaining that both Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire dispatched aircraft, but the Ivorian plane secured landing clearance first, prompting Nigeria to stand down.