Yahya Jammeh Finally Decides to Step Down; Gives His Terms Before Leaving Office

Gambian Leader Yahya Jammeh today announced his decision to finally step down from office and hand over peacefully to the president-elect, Adama Barrow come January 2017.
Mr. Jammeh was however quick to add that he was only prepared to leave office only after his personal terms has been met.
Yahya Jammeh rejected the result of the presidential election held earlier this month, a week after admitting defeat. He cited “abnormalities” in the vote and called for fresh elections.
Mr. Jammeh, who took power in a coup in 1994, was defeated by Adama Barrow, who won more than 43% of the vote.
Mr. Barrow accused the incumbent of damaging democracy by refusing to accept the result. His transition team said the president-elect was safe.
International criticism of Mr. Jammeh came swiftly. The US and The Gambia’s neighbour, Senegal condemned his announcement, and the African Union called for a “peaceful and orderly transition of power”.
The results were revised by the country’s electoral commission on 5 December, when it emerged that the ballots for one area were added incorrectly, swelling Mr Barrow’s vote. The error, which also added votes to the other candidates, “has not changed the status quo” of the result, the commission said. However, it narrowed Mr Barrow’s margin of victory from 9% to 4%.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) sent a high powered delegation made up of Presidents Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia, Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria, Ernest Bai Koroma of Sierra Leone, and John Mahama of Ghana met Jammeh and president-elect Adama Barrow in an attempt to manage a peaceful transition of power but never yielded any result.
Reading his terms on live television said every member state of the UN must provide him and his family an unlimited access to their countries and agree to always accord him with diplomatic status whenever he visits. He also asked to be allowed to marry additional 44 wives from countries of his choice.
He added that Gambia recognize and give him a position of the Supreme Leader of Gambia which would be a lifetime position. “If these conditions are met fully, I will gladly hand over power to Mr. Barrow without delay” he concluded.

SHARE THIS