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The Gambia's president urged to accept defeat by new government The Gambia's president urged to accept defeat by new government
(35 minutes later)
The newly elected government in The Gambia has demanded that Yahya Jammeh step down as president immediately after he made a dramatic U-turn and refused to accept his defeat in the polls. The newly elected government in the Gambia has demanded that Yahya Jammeh step down as president immediately after he made a dramatic U-turn and refused to accept his defeat in the polls.
After 22 years in power in the west African nation, it came as a surprise to many when Jammeh, an autocratic leader who had said he would rule for “a billion years if Allah willed it”, accepted defeat in a televised call to Adama Barrow, the leader of the opposition coalition.After 22 years in power in the west African nation, it came as a surprise to many when Jammeh, an autocratic leader who had said he would rule for “a billion years if Allah willed it”, accepted defeat in a televised call to Adama Barrow, the leader of the opposition coalition.
However, after he declared a week later that the vote was “fraudulent and unacceptable” and “the most devious election we have ever had”, and vowing to take the matter to the country’s supreme court, Barrow and his coalition said Jammeh should resign now. However, after he declared a week later that the vote was “fraudulent and unacceptable” and “the most devious election we have ever had”, and vowed to take the matter to the country’s supreme court, Barrow and his coalition said Jammeh should resign immediately.
Mai Fatty, the leader of the Gambian Moral Congress party and one of the eight members of the incoming coalition, said the new government “demand[ed] that outgoing President Jammeh immediately step down and hand over power”. Mai Fatty, the leader of the Gambia Moral Congress party and one of the eight members of the incoming coalition, said the new government “demand[ed] that outgoing President Jammeh immediately step down and hand over power”.
The presidents of Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone will arrive in The Gambia on Tuesday to try to persuade Jammeh to step down. The presidents of Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone will arrive in the Gambia on Tuesday to try to persuade him to step down.
Sources said Jammeh had agreed to meet the high-level delegation, and if so this would be the first time he has met anyone from outside the government since losing the election. Sources said Jammeh had agreed to meet the high-level delegation, and if so this would be the first time he has met anyone from outside his government since losing the election.
Many Gambians celebrated in the streets when Jammeh conceded defeat, but have since retreated to their homes after he threatened “not [to] tolerate any demonstrations” and saying that “the security services are here to maintain law and order”. Many Gambians celebrated in the streets when Jammeh conceded defeat, but have since retreated to their homes after he threatened “not [to] tolerate any demonstrations” and said the security services were “here to maintain law and order”.
There has been an increased military presence on the road to Banjul, The Gambia’s administrative capital, in the days since Jammeh rejected the result. There has been an increased military presence on the road to Banjul, the Gambia’s administrative capital, in the days since Jammeh rejected the result.