Skip to main content

Yahya Jammeh rejects Election result after one week of accepting defeat.

One week after conceding defeat to opposition leader, Adama Barrow, Gambian President Yahya Jammeh on Friday, in a televised address to the country said he rejected the outcome of the election and called for fresh election conducted by a “God-fearing and independent electoral commission.”


Mr. Jammeh who has ruled the country for 22 years, by the announcement, has cast a shadow over the future of the small West African country after his televised phone call conceding defeat to the opposition leader led to wild celebration in major cities in the country and was hailed across the world.
“After a thorough investigation, I have decided to reject the outcome of the recent election. I lament serious and unacceptable abnormalities which have reportedly transpired during the electoral process,” Mr. Jammeh said.
“I recommend fresh and transparent elections which will be officiated by a god-fearing and independent electoral commission,” he said.
The announcement cast an air of uncertainty around the capital of the country Banjul as people stayed indoors following Mr Jammeh’s threat to deal severely with protesters.
The head of the country’s army, Ousman Badjie, told Mr Barrow to pledge allegiance to Mr. Jammeh, the spokesperson of the opposition said.
The army has shown unshaken loyalty to Mr. Jammeh during the 22 years of his rule, which human rights groups said was characterised by torture, political detention and extra-judicial killings.
Analysts expect Mr. Jammeh, who is widely known for being erratic, to take decisions that may affect the safety of Mr. Barrow; but opposition spokesperson said the president-elect is fine.
“We are consulting on what to do, but as far as we are concerned, the people have voted,” Mai Ahmad Fatty told Reuters. “We will maintain peace and stability and not let anyone provoke us into violence.”
The electoral commission initially gave Mr.Barrow 45.5 percent of the vote against Jammeh’s 36.7 percent but later reviewed the result giving Mr Barrow a slimmer victory of 43.3 percent with less than 20,000 votes over the incumbent.
Early in the week, leaders of the opposition party had threatened to stop Mr Jammeh from leaving the country after he hands over. They suggested that he might be imprisoned for the alleged human rights violations committed during his long tenure.
Analysts believed the threat of imprisonment might have forced Mr. Jammeh to rescind his earlier decision conceding defeat.
International reactions
In a swift reaction to the announcement, neighbouring Senegal called for an emergency UN Security Council meeting. Senegal is currently a non-permanent member of the Security Council.
The country’s foreign minister, Mankeur Ndiaye, in a televised address called on Jammeh to respect the wishes of the electorate and not to do anything to harm the interest of the country or its citizens in the Gambia.
Similarly, the United States Department of States has released a statement warning Mr. Jammeh to ensure smooth and peaceful transition of power.
Describing Mr. Jammeh’s televised statement as “reprehensible and unacceptable breach of faith with the people of Gambia”, the U.S. government called on Mr Jammeh to carry out an orderly transition of power to Mr. Barrow in accordance with the constitution of the country.
“The people have spoken and it is time for the Gambia to come together to ensure a peaceful transition to President-elect Barrow,” the statement read.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

GHANA: NDC condemns NPP attack on members

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has expressed dissatisfaction about the alleged unprovoked attacks on members of the Party, following the Electoral Commission’s declaration of the results of the 2016 Presidential Elections. “We have received several reports of unprovoked physical attacks on supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), across the country,” a statement issued by the NDC National Organiser in Accra and copied to the Ghana News Agency said. “We wish to request the leadership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and President-elect Nana Akufo Addo to call on their supporters to desist from the attacks and contribute to building a more stable democracy. These attacks are nothing more than situations that can only create chaos should the attacked also decide to defend themselves. “While urging the Security Agencies to move in and protect life and property, we believe that our political parties must be interested in promoting political tolerance among...
Post a Comment
Read more

KATSINA: SSG APPOINTS ‘YAR’ADUA’ AS NEW CHIEF PRESS SECRETARY

The Secretary to the government of Katsina State, Dr. Mustapha  Mohammed Inuwa has approved the appointment of Alhaji Abdullahi Aliyu Yaradua as the new Chief Press Secretary of his office. Yar’adua holds a Diploma in Hausa Studies from Katsina Polytechnic; Higher Diploma in Mass Communication from Hassan Usman Katsina Polytechnic and a Diploma in Journalism from International Institute of Journalism (IIJ), Abuja. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English from Al-Qalam University Katsina and a Masters Degree in English Literature from Bayero University, Kano. Before his appointment, Yar’adua was the Head of Political Unit of Katsina State Radio and  two terms Chairman of NUJ Katsina State Radio Chapel and the immediate past Secretary of the Katsina state Council of the NUJ.  Credit: Katsinapost
Post a Comment
Read more

Homosexuality: One Auwalu Yusuf in prison for raping 2 boys in KANKARA

A Katsina magistrate court has remanded one Auwalu Yusuf, 25, of Maddobal village in Kankara town for allegedly sodomizing  two teenagers aged between 12-14 years. Yusuf, who was apprehended and handed over to the police by vigilante officers at the community, was charged with unnatural offence contrary to Section 284 of the Penal Code. According to the Police First Information Report read at the court, the accused criminally entised the victims with his money by taking them to Pole Wire side at Dandutse Quarters and individually sodomised them. The prosecutor, Inspector Kabir Mohammed, told the court that the victims reported the matter to their elder brother who in turn reported the matter to the vigilante, adding that upon interrogation, the said Auwal Yusuf confessed to have committed the act. The presiding magistrate, Fadila Dikko, remanded the accused and adjourned t he case to February 23, saying that it was brought for mention only as the court has no jurisdicti...
Post a Comment
Read more