AU, ECOWAS Election Observers Condemn Guinea-Bissau Military Coup

Election observers from the African Union (AU) and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have expressed deep concerns over the coup in Guinea-Bissau, asking the military authorities to release detained government officials.

The call was made by observers in a statement signed by the Head of the West African Elders Forum and a former Nigerian president, Goodluck Jonathan; Head of the African Union Election Observation Mission and former President of the Republic of Mozambique, Filipe Jacinto Nyusi; and Head of the ECOWAS Election Observation Mission, Issifu Baba Braimah Kamara.

According to the observers, the election in the West African nation was peaceful and orderly, they expressed “deep concern with the announcement of a coup d’etat by the armed forces, while the nation was waiting for the announcement of the results.

“It’s regrettable that this announcement came at a time when the missions had just concluded a meeting with the two leading presidential candidates, who assured us of their willingness to accept the will of the people.

“We deplore this blatant attempt to disrupt the democratic process and the gains that have been achieved thus far. We request the African Union and the ECOWAS to take the necessary steps to restore constitutional order,” the observers wrote in the statement on Wednesday.

LEADERSHIP gathered that Jonathan, who is currently trapped in Guinea-Bissau, is among African leaders on the joint mission of the AU and the ECOWAS and the West African Elders Forum who were in the coup-hit Guinea-Bissau to monitor the presidential election held over the weekend.