Premium News
Hon. Awaji-Inombek Dagomie Abiante, a member of the House of Representatives representing Andoni-Opobo/Nkoro Federal constituency of the Rivers State, has criticised the Bola Tinubu-led Nigerian Government for what he described as an alarming silence in the face of former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s ordeal during the recent military coup in Guinea-Bissau.
In a post shared on social media platforms, Abiante expressed deep concern that it took the intervention of Côte d’Ivoire’s President to evacuate Jonathan from the troubled nation and return him safely to Nigeria.
Viral videos of Jonathan’s return to Abuja confirmed that the plane belongs to the République de Côte d’Ivoire, as boldly displayed on its fuselage.
According to him, the action should have come from the Nigerian government.
“It is quite disheartening to witness that former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, who became stranded in Guinea-Bissau during the military coup, had to be rescued and brought home by the President of Côte d’Ivoire, another nation’s leader, while our own government maintained complete silence,” Abiante said.
The lawmaker questioned how a former Nigerian leader could be left without visible support from his home country during a moment of regional instability.
“How do we explain a situation where an elder statesman of Jonathan’s stature is left unattended by the very country he once led? What kind of politics have we reduced ourselves to in this nation?” he asked.
Abiante noted that even if rumours were being circulated about Jonathan’s political ambitions, such speculation could never justify neglecting a figure whose leadership and peace-building efforts have earned global respect.
“This is not just a former President of Nigeria; he is an elder statesman of Africa—respected globally for his unwavering commitment to peace,” he wrote. “When such a figure finds himself in danger in a foreign land, it is expected that his home country would take immediate steps to ensure his safe return to his family.”
SaharaReporters confirmed the safe arrival of Jonathan in Nigeria from Guinea-Bissau on Thursday.
Jonathan, who led the West African Elders Forum Election Observation Mission, had been in the country monitoring last Sunday’s presidential and legislative elections before the military announced it had seized power.
In a joint statement on Wednesday, Filipe Nyusi, former president of Mozambique and Head of the African Union Election Observation Mission; Issifu Kamara, Head of the Economic Community of West African States Election Observation Mission; and Jonathan condemned the coup, describing it as a direct attempt to disrupt Guinea-Bissau’s democratic process.
They appealed for calm among residents and reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Guinea-Bissau “during this sensitive period,” stressing “the importance of preserving peace, stability, and the well-being of the Bissau-Guinean people.”
Also, the Nigerian Government condemned the coup in strong terms, warning that it represents a serious threat to democracy and regional stability.
