A Nigerian military source has
disclosed that a joint West African force will intervene in the Gambia if
President Jammeh refuses to peacefully handover power at the end of his tenure.
The force is believed to be led by
Nigeria. Senegal has also been a strong candidate to participate in such a
force given that they are the Gambia’s only neighbours by land.
“A decision has been taken that he
will not remain president of Gambia at the expiration of his tenure,” the
source is quoted by Reuters news agency to have said.
Jammeh’s term ends on January 19 on
the same day winner of the December 1 polls, Adama Barrow is expected to be
sworn-in. Barrow enjoys the support of the regional political bloc, the
Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is currently in Senegal.
He is expected to be flown in
accompanied by ECOWAS leaders to be sworn in on Thursday.
ECOWAS appointed Nigerian president
Muhammadu Buhari and ex Ghana president John Mahama as mediators in the
political impasse. But the mediation effort failed due to Jammeh’s hard stance
during negotiations.
Jammeh has in a past broadcast
slammed ECOWAS for declaring war on a member state – contrary to its charter.
He said at the time that he was ready for the war and to defend the Gambian
constitution.
The Army Chief also declared that
they were behind Jammeh in an address released early this year. Meanwhile
defections continue to hit Jammeh’s government as ambassadors and ministers
quit and flee the tiny West African country.
Jammeh accepted conceded defeat in
the polls but reversed his decision citing electoral irregularity. Two cases
his party filed in court to annul the poll results and to halt Thursday’s
inauguration of Barrow; were unsuccessful.
The Chief Justice, Nigerian Emmanuel
Fagbenle, ruled that there were no judges to sit on the cases. Gambia usually
uses the services of judges from fellow West African countries in its superior
court.
-Africanews
AEP
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