Former President Goodluck Jonathan has explained that he was flown out of Guinea-Bissau aboard an Ivorian aircraft because Côte d’Ivoire obtained flight clearance faster than Nigeria, despite both countries preparing evacuation plans. Expressing gratitude to Nigerians, President Bola Tinubu, and President Alassane Ouattara, he said Côte d’Ivoire’s proximity and ties with Lusophone countries eased the process.
Jonathan dismissed the turmoil in Guinea-Bissau as a “ceremonial coup,” noting the oddity of President Umaro Embalo announcing his own arrest while freely addressing the media. He also lamented the setback to democratic stability, recalling his long-standing involvement in peace efforts in the country and warning that the situation resembles Guinea-Bissau’s troubled past.