The Nigerian Government has expressed deep concern over the military coup in Guinea-Bissau, describing it as an unconstitutional change of government that threatens stability in West Africa.
A statement, issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja on Thursday, said the development was received with profound dismay.
The Federal Government warned that the act undermines democratic progress and violates the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance, which rejects any seizure of power through unconstitutional means.
Nigeria stressed that the situation poses a wider danger to the region’s constitutional order appealing to all actors involved to exercise restraint, embrace peaceful dialogue, and a fair electoral process; urging the country’s authorities to guarantee the security of election observers still on official duty.
Nigeria’s former president, Goodluck Jonathan is leading the ECOWAS Election Observer Mission while Mozambique’s former President Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, is head of the African Union, AU team. Both leaders have signed a joint statement calling on the two regional bodies of ECOWAS and AU to take necessary steps to restore constitutional order in Guinea-Bissau following the military coup that has suspended the announcement of weekend’s presidential election results.
The government further reaffirmed its commitment to working with ECOWAS, the African Union, and international partners to ensure a swift return to normalcy.
“This coup d’état represents a blatant violation of the fundamental principles of the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance, which explicitly rejects any ascension to power through unconstitutional means,” Kimiebi Ebienfa, Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson.
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
