Hon. Awaji-Inombek Dagomie Abiante, a member of the House of Representatives representing Andoni-Opobo/Nkoro Federal Constituency in Rivers State, has questioned the Bola Tinubu-led Nigerian Government’s response during former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s recent ordeal in Guinea-Bissau.

In a post on social media, Abiante expressed disappointment that it took the intervention of Côte d’Ivoire’s President to evacuate Jonathan safely to Nigeria, instead of action from the Nigerian government.

“It is quite disheartening to witness that former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, stranded during the military coup in Guinea-Bissau, had to be rescued by the President of Côte d’Ivoire while our own government maintained complete silence,” he wrote.

Viral videos of Jonathan’s return confirmed that the aircraft used for his evacuation belonged to the République de Côte d’Ivoire, as clearly displayed on its fuselage.

Abiante questioned the reason a former Nigerian leader and respected elder statesman could be left without visible support from his home country during a time 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 further stressed that even if there were speculations about Jonathan’s political ambitions, it could not justify neglecting a leader whose contributions to peace-building and democracy have earned him 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,” Abiante wrote.

SaharaReporters confirmed Jonathan’s safe arrival in Abuja on Thursday. He had been in Guinea-Bissau monitoring the presidential and legislative elections as part of the West African Elders Forum Election Observation Mission, when the military seized power.

In response to the coup, Jonathan, alongside other election observers including Filipe Nyusi, former President of Mozambique and Issifu Kamara, Head of the ECOWAS Election Observation Mission, condemned the military takeover, calling it an attempt to disrupt Guinea-Bissau’s democratic process. They appealed for calm and emphasized the need to preserve peace, stability, and the well-being of the Bissau-Guinean people.

The Nigerian Government also condemned the coup in strong terms, warning that it poses a serious threat to democracy and regional stability.