Former President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday paid a visit to President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, in what has become part of ongoing consultations between both leaders on regional and continental issues.
The meeting, which took place at about 4 p.m., was confirmed by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who shared photographs of the engagement on his X account. He wrote: “President Tinubu meets former President Goodluck Jonathan at the Villa.”
The images showed both men in a relaxed discussion, with a “Two-Year Milestone” document also seen in the President’s office during the visit.
Although no official details were released on what was discussed, the meeting is coming several months after Jonathan’s previous visit to the Villa in November 2025.
That earlier visit came shortly after Jonathan was evacuated from Guinea-Bissau following a military takeover that saw President Umaro Sissoco Embaló detained by soldiers loyal to Brig. Gen. Dinis Incanha. The coup occurred shortly before the release of official results from the November 23 presidential election.
At the time, Jonathan had been leading the West African Elders Forum election observation mission and was flown out on a private jet reportedly arranged by Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara.
Speaking after meeting Tinubu during that period, Jonathan urged ECOWAS leaders to ensure stability and transparency in the crisis-hit nation. He said: “They cannot kick out the military with force; otherwise, people will die. But let us know who the winner of this election is.”
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He further remarked: “It is what some people call a palace coup. It’s not a palace coup. We know real coups. In Nigeria, we know a palace coup when we see one. This was not even a palace coup. I describe it as a ceremonial coup.”
In January 2026, the transitional authorities in Guinea-Bissau announced plans to hold presidential and legislative elections on December 6, 2026, although ECOWAS has not formally approved the timeline.
Jonathan has remained active in regional diplomacy over the years, serving as a key election observer and mediator across West Africa, including missions in Mali, The Gambia, Liberia, and Guinea-Bissau under the West African Elders Forum. He has often described himself as a “roving ambassador” for peace and democracy in the region.