Jonathan calls Guinea-Bissau incident ‘ceremonial coup’

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has described the recent political upheaval in Guinea-Bissau as a “ceremonial coup,” rather than a military takeover.

Jonathan stated this while addressing newsmen in Abuja on Friday, November 28, 2025, after returning from Guinea-Bissau where he had been trapped by the incident.

He described the bizarre circumstances surrounding the coup announcement by ousted President Umaro Embalo as strange.

The former president said: “What happened in Guinea-Bissau, I wouldn’t call it a coup.

“It was not a coup. Maybe some people would describe it as such for want of a better word — I would say maybe it was a ceremonial coup.

“For two reasons: it was President Embalo who announced the coup.

Jonathan: How I left Guinea-Bissau after coup

“Later, the military men came out to address the world, saying they were in charge everywhere, even though Embalo had already announced the coup, which is strange.

“Not only did he announce the coup, but Embalo, while the coup was taking place, was using his phone and addressing media organisations across the world, claiming he had been arrested.”

Jonathan, who recalled his recent role as ECOWAS mediator in Mali when the military took over government, said soldiers did not overthrow a government and still allow the ousted president to be addressing press conferences or commenting on his arrest.

He said what happened in Guinea-Bissau was quite disturbing, adding that he felt more pain than the day he, as sitting a president, called former President Muhammadu Buhari to congratulate him after losing the 2015 election.

He said the development appeared to be taking Guinea-Bissau back to “those dark days” when the military acted with impunity, adding that the situation was totally unacceptable.

The Star