Peter Obi has expressed strong concern over the political situation in Guinea-Bissau, citing comments made by former President Goodluck Jonathan, who served as an election observer in the country.
“I listened closely to Dr. Goodluck Jonathan’s briefing. As a former President who was on ground as an election monitor, he noted that the so-called coup appeared suspicious,” Obi said. He added that Jonathan had described the incident as unusual, pointing out that “it was the president himself who announced the coup and relayed the details to the international community.”
‘ECOWAS was quick on Guinea-Bissau, silent elsewhere’
Obi noted that reports from Guinea-Bissau indicated the election process was peaceful, with only the formal announcement of results pending before events took a strange turn.
“ECOWAS was swift to sanction Guinea-Bissau, but what does ECOWAS do when democracy is subverted — not by soldiers, but by technology?” he asked.
‘Do we condemn only coups with guns?’
The former Anambra governor questioned whether the regional bloc would apply the same standards to countries where election outcomes are disrupted by conveniently timed ‘glitches.’
“Do we only condemn coups that are visible with guns and ignore those executed through deliberate technological failure?” he queried.
Obi warned that both technological manipulation and political interference pose serious threats to electoral integrity. “Whether technical or political, these issues can undermine democracy, stall progress, and deny African citizens their right to freely choose their leaders,” he said.
A call for transparency across West Africa
Obi stressed that democracy can only thrive when transparency, accountability, and the will of the people are upheld.
“By confronting these challenges honestly, we can move towards a New Nigeria and a more stable, democratic West Africa. Our goal must be to ensure that the people’s will prevails and our elections reflect the true desires of our citizens.”
He added that the Guinea-Bissau incident mirrors a broader regional crisis.
“The episodes in Guinea-Bissau highlight two faces of the same problem: one where ballots are overturned by force, and another where ballots are obstructed by convenient technical excuses,” he said.
“In both situations, the citizens lose, democracy is weakened, and the region sinks deeper into instability. The result is the same — the people are denied their mandate.”
