Gambia’s Jammeh asked to vacate sit

West African regional bloc ECOWAS on Jan.14 asked Gambia’s long time leader Yahya Jammeh to step down ahead of Jan.19 inauguration.

According to International media reports ECOWAS has announced that if Jammeh does not cede power it will consider military intervention and has already prepared a standby force led by Senegal, the country’s immediate neighbor. Reports also indicate that Nigeria has also ordered officers to prepare a battalion of 800 troops for a possible military intervention if Jammeh insists on the seat

Jammeh who had initially conceded defeat in the December election went against his word later saying that the vote was marred with irregularities which he submitted in a petition to the Supreme Court.  While the petition has not yet been heard, leaders of international bodies and different West African countries have made attempts to mediate into the crisis but have reached no agreement.

The president elect Adama Barrow was being hosted in Senegal ahead of the inauguration day.

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editor@independent.co.ug