By MUHYIDEEN JIMOH

President Bola Tinubu on Thursday joined other ECOWAS Heads of State in an extraordinary virtual summit convened to address the political crisis in Guinea-Bissau.

‎The emergency meeting brought together West African leaders in a rapid diplomatic response to the coup that followed disputed elections in the country.‎

‎The high-level deliberation is aimed at preserving stability and upholding constitutional order in the troubled nation.‎

‎The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Guinea-Bissau military seized power on Wednesday after arresting President Umaro Embalo and naming Gen. Horta Nta Na Man as head of a one-year transitional government.‎

‎Guinea-Bissau, with a population of about 2.2 million, has experienced recurrent coups and attempted coups since gaining independence from Portugal more than 50 years ago.‎

‎In a statement signed by Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nigeria expressed deep concern over the military takeover, describing it as an unconstitutional change of government that threatens democratic progress and regional stability.‎

‎It will be recalled that Tinubu had served two consecutive terms as Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government until June 2025, when he handed leadership to Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio.‎

‎ECOWAS has been grappling with a resurgence of coups across the region in recent years, and Thursday’s emergency summit signalled the bloc’s resolve to prevent further destabilisation. (NAN, but headline rejigged)