Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan and dozens of African election observers have been left marooned in Guinea-Bissau after a faction of the country’s military abruptly seized control on Wednesday, throwing the nation into fresh political uncertainty.
Jonathan, who arrived as part of a 36-member joint observer team representing the African Union (AU), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and the West African Elders Forum (WAEF), had been monitoring Sunday’s tense presidential poll. The delegation had spent the days leading up to the announcement meeting with key contenders and pushing for a peaceful acceptance of the eventual results.
But the fragile calm was shattered when both leading candidates—incumbent President Umaro Sissoco Embaló and opposition challenger Fernando Dias—prematurely declared themselves winners, even though the national electoral commission had yet to publish any official figures. The competing claims triggered a swift military intervention, with soldiers announcing that they were taking control to “preserve order” amid the escalating dispute.
In the hours that followed, Guinea-Bissau’s military shut its airspace, sealed its borders, suspended airport operations, and restricted domestic movement. The sudden blockade trapped the international observer mission, senior government personnel, and several foreign envoys inside the country.
The AU-ECOWAS-WAEF mission expressed deep concern over the unfolding crisis, noting that the coup announcement came moments after the team concluded separate peace-building meetings with both Embaló and Dias—meetings in which the candidates had reportedly pledged to respect the people’s verdict.
“It is deeply unfortunate that this disruption occurred just as the mission was working to sustain dialogue and reinforce confidence in the electoral process,” the delegation said in a statement. They warned that allowing military interference to shape election outcomes would set a dangerous precedent for the region.
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The observers also called for the immediate release of detained officials picked up during the takeover and urged African regional bodies to act swiftly to restore constitutional governance in the country.
The delegation had originally been scheduled to depart Guinea-Bissau on November 29, but the sudden shutdown of the nation’s borders has now cast uncertainty over their exit plans.
