Yesterday, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu joined other Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in an extraordinary virtual summit convened to address the political crisis in Guinea-Bissau, following a coup in the country on Wednesday.
The emergency meeting, held via Zoom, brought together West African leaders in a rapid diplomatic response to the unfolding situation.
The Guinea-Bissau military, which seized power on Wednesday after arresting President Umaro Sissoco Embalo, has announced General Horta Inta-A as the head of a transitional government for one year.
A photograph released by the State House Media Department showed President Tinubu participating in the high-level virtual session from Abuja.
President Tinubu was Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government for two consecutive terms until June 2025, when he handed over to the Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio.
ECOWAS has been grappling with a resurgence of coups across the region in recent years, and Thursday’s emergency summit signalled the bloc’s resolve to prevent further destabilisation.
Nigeria joined the election observation missions to Guinea-Bissau set up by the African Union (AU), ECOWAS and the West African Elders Forum (WAEF) in condemning the stoppage of the announcement of presidential and legislative elections, as well as the military coup in the West African country.
The Federal Government urged all actors involved to exercise utmost restraint, prioritise peaceful dialogue, and respect the will of the people of Guinea-Bissau as expressed through their ballots.
It said Nigeria, as a key member of the ECOWAS and AU, will work closely with regional and international partners to take all necessary measures to ensure the swift return to normalcy and constitutional governance in Guinea-Bissau.
