Former President Goodlcuk Jonathan, who just returned from Guinea Bissau, had said that the “so called coup”in the West African country, was engineered and announced by President Umaro Sissoco Embaló himself and not a real military coup per see.
Jonathan told Journalists on arrival in Nigeria that it was Embaló that first announced the coup before the military came in to take over, saying that he was surprised and embarrassed by such an action.
The former Nigerian president said that Embaló made phone calls to other countries and spoke with journalists that there was a coup unlike a normal coup d’état.
In the words of Jonathan; “There was no coup in Guinea Bissau. What happened in Guinea Bissau, I wouldn’t call it a coup. It was not a coup. Maybe, some people will describe it as ceremonial coup. It was President Embaló that announced the coup, before later, a military man came up and addressed the world that they have taken charge which is strange.
Embaló not only announced the coup, he was using his phone making calls and addressing media organisations round the world that he had been arrested. I am a Nigerian and close to 70 and I know how they keep ex-heads of State when a coup takes place.
“Military don’t over government and a sitting president they have over-thrown would be allowed to be using their phones and addressing press conferences that he has been arrested. Who is fooling who?.
What happened in Guinea Bissau is quite disturbing to me who believes in democracy. I feel more pain that the day I called Buhari to congratulate him when I lost election as a sitting president. What is happening is that we are going back to the past in Guinea Bissau when the military was in charge.
“The election was peaceful. During the meeting of Heads of Observers missions and all the observers gave their account, no body said something different. The elections were peaceful, counting of votes were carefully done, conduct of officials were okay. The same thing with party agents. When they had finished collating the results, the nine regions were ready.
When they were ready to announce the results, then Embaló announced that there is a coup. That they have taken over and they have arrested him. But, from every indication, no body arrested him,” he said.
Jonathan then charged ECOWAS and AU to ensure that the result of the election which was ready should be announced and let the winner be known and acknowledged.
