JONATHAN REVEALS WHY HE RETURNED TO NIGERIA ON IVORIAN AIRCRAFT AFTER GUINEA-BISSAU UNREST (VIDEO)
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By Aishat Momoh. O.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has explained why he returned to Nigeria aboard an Ivorian aircraft following the recent political turmoil in Guinea-Bissau, revealing that President Bola Tinubu also made arrangements for his evacuation but the Ivorian government obtained landing clearance first.
Jonathan, who was in the country as head of the West African Elders Forum Election Observation Mission during the disputed polls, made the clarification in an interview with Symfoni posted on YouTube on Friday his first public comment since the unrest, which triggered gunfire and fears of a possible coup.
Speaking on the incident, Jonathan said he decided to address the public “to thank Nigerians for the show of empathy and encouragement” after news of the crisis stirred national concern.
“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,” he recounted.
The former president disclosed that both President Tinubu and Côte d’Ivoire’s President Alassane Ouattara initiated plans to airlift him and his delegation, but Côte d’Ivoire secured landing permission ahead of Nigeria.
“Both presidents were to send aircraft to lift us, but somehow Côte d’Ivoire is closer to Guinea-Bissau, and there’s always some relationship between the Francophone countries and the Lusophones,” he explained.
“They were able to penetrate their system to get a landing permit before Nigeria could do that. So the Ivorian aircraft was already on its way to pick us up.”
Jonathan added that by the time the Nigerian aircraft was granted approval to depart, the Ivorian team was already en route, prompting his delegation to tell the Nigerian crew not to proceed.
“So when we learnt that the Nigerian aircraft were about leaving, we asked them not to bother. That is why, if you see the pictures, I was brought by an Ivorian aircraft,” he said.
He expressed gratitude to both Tinubu and Ouattara and extended appreciation to Nigerians for their concern.
“So we thank the two presidents, President Ouattara and President Tinubu, and indeed thank Nigerians, young and old, for that,” Jonathan remarked.
The unrest in Guinea-Bissau caused significant diplomatic anxiety across West Africa, particularly over Jonathan’s safety given his prominent regional role.
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