Jonathan Thanks Tinubu, Ouattara for Support During Guinea-Bissau Turmoil

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has expressed deep gratitude to Nigerians and African leaders for their support and concern during the political unrest in Guinea-Bissau, where he had been on an election monitoring mission.

Jonathan, who spoke to the media despite admitting he has been reluctant to grant interviews since leaving office, said he felt compelled to address Nigerians directly because of the overwhelming display of empathy following reports of a coup attempt in the West African nation.

“Since I left office, I’ve always been scared talking to the media,” Jonathan said. “But in this particular case, I decided to speak.

First and foremost, to thank Nigerians for the show of empathy and encouragement. While we were in Bissau and this so-called coup happened, the information we got was that the whole country was agitated young and old, irrespective of religious or political divides.”

The former president explained that Nigerians’ concern reached him immediately, noting that the unity shown during the incident reaffirmed the nation’s collective spirit.

Jonathan also extended appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara for making arrangements to evacuate him and his delegation at the peak of the tension.

According to him, both Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire had dispatched aircraft to Guinea-Bissau, but the Ivorian aircraft arrived earlier after securing landing clearance more quickly.

“Both presidents were to send aircrafts to lift us, but somehow Abidjan was closer to Guinea-Bissau,” he said.

“There is also a longstanding relationship between the Francophone countries and the Lusophones, so they were able to secure landing permits before Nigeria could do that. The Ivorian aircraft was already on the way to pick us.”

Upon receiving news that a Nigerian aircraft was about to depart, Jonathan said his team advised Abuja that the Ivorian plane was closer and had already been cleared, leading to their eventual evacuation by Côte d’Ivoire.

“That is why, if you see the pictures, I was brought back by an Ivorian aircraft,” he explained.

Jonathan concluded by thanking President Tinubu, President Ouattara, and Nigerians across all divides for their concern, prayers, and solidarity during the incident.