Africa-Press – Ghana. Mr Pedro Pires, former President of Cabo Verde, together with a group of former senior officials of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), has called for urgent action to restore constitutional rule in Guinea-Bissau.
In a joint statement issued on Thursday, the group, made up of 20 “Eminent Africans,” including former heads of international institutions and civil society organisations, demanded the immediate release of results from the country’s November 23, 2025 presidential election.
The demand follows reports that security services and the army forced the National Electoral Commission to halt the compilation of election results.
The group urged ECOWAS to “demand the truth,” protect the rightful winner of the elections, and secure the release of political actors detained by the military junta, which seized power after the vote.
“…We take the liberty to invite the ECOWAS Heads of State, who are meeting in a Summit on 14th December, to make a bold move towards solving the current crisis afflicting one of the most fragile states of the ECOWAS community,” the statement said.
It said the military destroyed or confiscated documents and data essential for collating the results across Guinea-Bissau’s eight regions.
The signatories urged ECOWAS leaders to act swiftly to safeguard the democratic will of citizens and uphold the principles of the rule of law.
“As active members of civil society from across Africa, we cannot keep quiet in the face of such blatant violations that Guinea-Bissau has suffered,” the statement said.
“Accepting that a group of military and political players can collude to deprive their compatriots of the right to freely choose their leaders through transparent elections would signal to West Africa that the only rule is that of the most powerful.”
Army officers reportedly seized power on November 26, a day before the Electoral Commission was due to announce the results.
Major-General Horta Inta-A was sworn in as transitional president on November 27, while deposed President Umaro Sissoco Embaló sought refuge abroad, including in Senegal.
“We are shocked by this brutal intrusion of the army, aimed at interrupting an electoral process to which citizens of Guinea-Bissau; Amílcar Cabral’s country, high hopes to the last minute,” the statement said.
Guinea-Bissau “deserves support to conclude its electoral process, build democratic institutions, and establish a State based on the rule of law,” it said.
The Eminent Africans also called on the African Union, United Nations, and the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries to help restore political stability in the country.
For More News And Analysis About Ghana Follow Africa-Press
