West African Leaders Decry Guinea-Bissau's Coup as 'Sham'

Senegal's prime minister and Nigeria's former president have both said they do not believe the ousting of Guinea-Bissau's president by the country's military was a genuine coup. Former President Umaro Sissoco Embaló's apparent removal came a day before authorities were due to announce election results.

The military has since suspended the electoral process and blocked the results' release, asserting it thwarted a plot to destabilize the politically unstable country. Senegal's PM Ousmane Sonko and Nigeria's ex-leader Goodluck Jonathan demanded the presidential election results be released, yet provided no evidence to support their claims of a fabricated coup.

The ex-president arrived in neighbouring Senegal on a chartered military flight late on Thursday, after being released by the military forces who toppled his government. Jonathan, who led a team of election observers from the West African Elders Forum to Guinea-Bissau, characterized the incident as a 'ceremonial coup'. He expressed doubts about the transparency of the military takeover, particularly noting that Embaló himself was the first to announce his removal.

Despite the military's claims of acting to prevent instability supported by a drug baron, opinions among the populace remain split. Some citizens express hope for an orderly transition under the military while others criticize the sudden upheaval, fearing chaos.

On Friday, General Horta N'Tam, the newly proclaimed transitional leader, appointed Ilidio Vieira Té, the previous finance minister, as the new prime minister. Concurrently, the African Union suspended Guinea-Bissau over the unconstitutional military takeover, while Ecowas demanded a return to barracks, emphasizing the need for political stability in a country plagued by a history of coups and drug trafficking.