Coalition issues statement on ECOWAS visit

By Omar Bah Halifa Sallah, the spokesperson of the office of President-elect Adama Barrow yesterday read a press release on behalf of the incoming government in response to ECOWAS recent visit to Banjul. The full release reads: A delegation of the Authority of Heads of State of ECOWAS comprising the Chairperson, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, The President of The Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari, and Ex- President John Dramani Mahama of Ghana, met Outgoing President Yahya Jammeh at the State House and President Elect Adama Barrow at the Coco Ocean Hotel. Their mission was to assist in resolving the current obstacles that militate against the peaceful transfer of Executive Power after the 1st December 2016 Presidential Elections. The meeting with President Jammeh which lasted for two hours gave rise to the articulation of his position. After highlighting what he considered to be numerous irregularities that emerged in the December 1, 2016 presidential election, as announced by the IEC Chairman in two separate sets of results, he reaffirmed his commitment to a peaceful resolution of the impasse in accordance with the Constitution of The Gambia through the courts and called for a return to the polls. On their part, the delegation declared that they are here to find a peaceful solution to the impasse arising out of the rejection of the Election Results and reiterated their willingness to assist the two sides to come to an agreement based on the Gambian Constitution. The Mediators met President- Elect Adama Barrow and two Commissioners of the IEC. President-Elect Barrow, on his part, maintained that the casting and counting of votes were monitored by all the stakeholders and all the participants knew the results before they were announced. He indicated that the proper Authority has declared him a winner and the Constitution has made it clear that he should take Oath and assume office on the day the term of Office of President Jammeh expires. He emphasised that the Court case of a loser has never barred winners from assuming office in Ghana and Nigeria before the conclusion of hearing and should not bar him from assuming office when Outgoing President Jammeh’s term expires. The IEC, on its part, has been very professional and discipline as an umpire and has not been tempted to make any public statements to answer to the allegations of impropriety by the APRC aided and abated by the National Broadcaster (GRTS) that has literally become the mouth piece of the loser. Read the entire statement on page 3]]>