Gambia president rejects calls to quit

Claims transition period as well as legal bid on ballot

BANJUL // Defeated Gambian president Yahya Jammeh has again vowed not to leave office at the end of his mandate next month, saying a court must first rule on his challenge to the outcome of a hotly disputed election. Mr Jammeh, who has ruled the country for 22 years after taking power in a bloodless coup, has refused to recognise opposition candidate Adama Barrow’s victory in the December 1 vote, fuelling international concerns about Gambia’s future with the UN and other West African leaders calling on him to step down.

Mr Jammeh initially conceded defeat, offering warm congratulations to Mr Barrow. But a week later he retracted and filed a complaint to the Gambian supreme court.

“Unless the court decides the case, there will be no inauguration [of Mr Barrow] on January 19,” he said in a television address. “I will not cheat but I will not be cheated. Justice must be done and the only way justice can be done is to reorganise the election so that every Gambian votes.

“That’s the only way we can resolve the matter peacefully and fairly.”

Mr Jammeh, 51, also criticised the West African regional Ecowas bloc, which has urged him to accept the election results and refrain from any action that could compromise the peaceful transfer of power.

“My rights cannot be violated and intimidated to a point where I succumb to blackmail,” he said. “I will not step down, because this is disrespectful of our constitution which says a transition period of 60 days. Even if he had won legally, I have 60 days of transition.”

West African leaders meeting at the weekend said they would attend Mr Barrow’s inauguration and “take all necessary actions to enforce the results”, without saying what those measures might be.