Nigeria has offered protection to Guinea-Bissau’s opposition presidential candidate Fernando Dias at its embassy in Bissau, as West African leaders press the country’s military authorities to restore constitutional order following last week’s takeover.
Abuja’s decision was announced in a statement dated Nov. 30, in which the Nigerian Foreign Ministry said President Bola Tinubu approved the request after “imminent threats” were reported against Dias. Nigeria also urged the ECOWAS Stabilisation Mission to deploy troops to guarantee his safety.
The move comes as an ECOWAS delegation, led by Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio, met Guinea-Bissau’s military leaders on Monday in a tense session where officials demanded the proclamation of results from the disputed Nov. 23 presidential election.
“ECOWAS demands the restoration of constitutional order, as well as the continuation and logical conclusion of the electoral process,” Sierra Leone’s Foreign Minister Timothy Musa Kabba said after the talks.
He added that West African heads of state will take a final decision on the situation at their summit scheduled for Dec. 14, warning the bloc may impose sanctions if there is no progress.
Military authorities vow one-year transition
Major-General Horta Inta-a, appointed interim president by the officers who seized power, defended the coup as necessary to prevent what he called a plot by “narcotraffickers” to undermine Guinea-Bissau’s democracy. He pledged to oversee a one-year transition beginning immediately.
The military rulers have since banned protests, strikes and any activities deemed a threat to public order. The announcement followed Saturday’s demonstrations in Bissau, where hundreds of mostly young people demanded the release of detained opposition figures and the publication of the election results.
Dias claims he was leading vote before takeover
Dias, a 47-year-old political newcomer, said he was on course to win the election when the military intervened. His coalition accuses President Umaro Sissoco Embalo and allies of backing the coup to prevent the electoral commission from announcing results that would reflect Embalo’s defeat.
Guinea-Bissau has long struggled with instability and military interference in politics. The country remains a key transit point for cocaine smuggling to Europe, a factor regional leaders say continues to fuel political tensions and undermine national institutions.