Former President Goodluck Jonathan has clarified why he left Guinea Bissau on a plane from Côte d’Ivoire instead of using a Nigerian aircraft.
Speaking publicly, Jonathan expressed appreciation to both President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria and President Alassane Ouattara of Côte d’Ivoire.
“I want to thank my President, President Tinubu, and the Ivorian President, Alassane Ouattara. Both presidents were to send aircraft to lift us,” he said.
Jonathan explained that the choice was driven by logistics and diplomacy. “Côte d’Ivoire is closer to Guinea Bissau, and there’s a relationship between Francophone and Lusophone countries, which enabled Côte d’Ivoire to get a landing permit before Nigeria could,” he noted.
He further clarified that the decision was purely for convenience and timing. “So we asked the Nigerian government not to bother since the Ivorian aircraft had already arrived,” Jonathan said, emphasizing that it was not a matter of preference.
