The West African Elders Forum (WAEF), led by former Nigerian President Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, has called for transparent, inclusive, and credible presidential and parliamentary elections in Guinea-Bissau, scheduled for November 23.
This call was made during a three-day pre-election assessment mission to the country by the WAEF delegation. In a statement issued by Mr. Wealth Ominabo, Communications Officer for the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation, the Forum urged Guinea-Bissau’s electoral institutions to maintain neutrality and uphold democratic principles during the electoral process.
Key institutions such as the Comissão Nacional de Eleições (CNE), the Constitutional Court, and other relevant bodies were specifically urged to ensure impartiality in order to build public trust and safeguard peace and stability.
“We want a stable West Africa. Many of the crises we face in the region are election-related. Since the formation of the West African Elders Forum, we have undertaken missions to countries before, during, and after elections to help ensure peace and stability,” Jonathan stated.
As part of the mission, Jonathan met with President Umaro Sissoco Embaló at the State House in Bissau. The WAEF team also held consultations with the Interior Minister Botche Candé, officials of the National Electoral Commission, members of the Supreme Court, and representatives from civil society.
The former Nigerian leader explained that the visit was a fact-finding mission to evaluate the readiness of electoral institutions and to promote dialogue as a mechanism for resolving disputes.
He reiterated WAEF’s commitment to encouraging democratic processes through peaceful means, support for the rule of law, and constructive engagement before, during, and after elections.
WAEF is a non-partisan platform comprising former heads of state and senior leaders from across West Africa. The forum plays a mediating role in electoral processes across the region, working to prevent and mitigate conflicts, and to promote peace, democracy, and inclusive governance.
Guinea-Bissau’s presidential election was initially scheduled for December 2024 but was postponed. President Embaló’s term officially ended on February 27, but he has remained in office and announced his intention to seek re-election—an action critics from opposition parties and civil society organizations have described as an “institutional coup.”