Former Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan has dismissed the recent power takeover in Guinea-Bissau as a “ceremonial coup,” insisting it was orchestrated by the ousted president, Umaro Sissoco Embaló, to block the release of election results.

Jonathan, who led the West African Elders Forum election-observer mission to the country, said the sequence of events did not resemble a genuine military coup. According to him, it was unusual and suspicious that Embaló was the first to announce his own arrest and the alleged coup while speaking freely to international media on his mobile phone.

He explained that during his team’s time in the country, the election process had been peaceful and transparent. Vote counting had already been completed across all regions, and the electoral commission was preparing to declare the final results when the supposed coup unfolded. Jonathan said the timing — coming just hours before the results were expected — raised serious concerns about the motive behind the power seizure.

The former president noted that, in a real coup, the deposed leader would not be allowed to make public statements, grant interviews, or remain in open communication with the outside world. He described the situation as “disturbing,” adding that it hurt him deeply because it represented a major setback for democracy in West Africa.

Jonathan urged ECOWAS and the African Union to ensure that the election results are published without delay and that constitutional order is restored. He also called for the release of all detained political figures, stressing that the will of the people must be respected.