Text of Presidential Press Release from the State House on Friday, April 13 2o12:
PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan and the Federal Government of Nigeria totally condemn and reject the ongoing attempt by a segment of the military in Guinea- Bissau to subvert the country’s constitutional order and truncate the democratic process which has already been initiated for the election of a legal successor to late President Malam Bacai Sanha.
President Jonathan urges the Military High Command of Guinea-Bissau to refrain from any further action that threatens the lives of the elected leaders of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau and the established democratic order.
In this connection, President Jonathan demands the immediate release of all those being detained and the restoration of civil democratic rule and constitutional order. He welcomes the Military’s declaration that it is not interested in political power, and urges them to take urgent action in confirmation of that declaration.
Nigeria is ready and prepared to act in concert with other members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to ensure that the collective effort being made by the people of Guinea-Bissau and friends of the country to entrench democracy, good governance and political stability in the country is not thwarted by an unwelcome military intervention in whatever guise.
President Jonathan believes that whatever grievances the military may have had that prompted them to take these actions can be redressed through dialogue. Indeed, he notes that some of the grievances were already being addressed by the Regional Organization, ECOWAS at its Meeting held in Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire yesterday.
He therefore calls on the military leadership of Guinea-Bissau to follow the path of honour and uphold the rightness of the country’s constitutional order in keeping with the global demand for democratic rule and good governance.
Lastly, President Jonathan enjoins all members of the international community to condemn the brazen attempt to subvert the constitutional order in Guinea-Bissau.