(JollofNews) – Gambia’s outgoing president, Yahya Jammeh has called President elect Adama Barrow to congratulate him on his election victory.
Adama Barrow of the opposition coalition was declared winner of the election by the country’s electoral commission after polling 263515 votes.
In the phone conversation, Mr Jammeh congratulated Mr Barrow and reassured him of his full support.
Below we reproduce the full conversation.
Jammeh: I am calling to wish you all the best. The Gambian people have spoken and I have no reason to contest the will of the Almighty Allah. I wish you all the best the country will be in your hands from January and you are assured of my guidance in your transition not in the selection of who should be in your government but you will have to work with me as I pack to go back to Kanilai and handover the State House to you. You are the elected president of the Gambia and I wish you all the best and no ill will.
Barrow: I wish to thank you on behalf of the Gambian people and I also wish to thank you for all the hard work you have done for the past 22 years. We will continue from where you have stopped. And In shallah [Allah willing] if we need your advise in any area we will always consult you.
Jammeh: Thank you. Though I will be a farmer in Kanilai.I am here with my team…
Barrow: I am here with my team.
Jammeh: Convey my congratulations to your entire team. This is transparent. This is the will of Allah and as a Muslim I accept it in good faith. The Gambian people have chosen you after 22 years of which I am grateful to the Almighty Allah for that. And Remember I came on a Friday 22 July and I lost on Friday 2nd December. Though it’s not the 22nd, Allah is telling me my time is up and I hand over graciously with gratitude to the Gambian people and gratitude to the Almighty Allah to you.
Barrow: Thank you. I think history is repeating itself here in the Gambia. I was born on a Friday.
Jammeh: What date?
Barrow: It was 15th February 1965.
Jammeh: 1965?
Barrow: 1965, yes.
Jammeh: So you were born before independence?
Barrow: Yes.
Jammeh: So you are a few months older than me…. (smiles). All the best.
Barrow: Thank you. Yes a few months older than you.
Jammeh: Well I think that’s why they didn’t call you Old Pa (laughs). I wish you all the best Mr Barrow okay.
Barrow: Thank you very much. Thank you.
Jammeh: And you have my full support. Let’s make sure that you work towards maintaining peace and stability because without peace and stability let me make it clear you cannot achieve anything anywhere in Africa.
Barrow: Yes peace and stability thank you.
Jammeh: I wish you all the best.
Barrow: Thank you.
Wow, what a class act. It seems the whole time Gambia had a leader that truly loved the people and the country. I don’t know much of Gambia’s history, but I hope they treat there 22 year servant with honor and move on to making GAMBIA GREAT. Congratulations
So far so good congratulation to the newly elected president for good job well done. All we really need in African countries now at the moment is peace to rain down. Well my dear fellow citizens of Gambia I wish u all the best. May God continue to bless the president and the people. Amen.
Hmmmmm lol I dont have much to say but President Barrow be careful for a dictator to give up all of a sudden hahaha…only the God we worship decides…jammeh have to face ICC and let him tell us where are our fellow Gambians who were murdered? and make our brothers and sisters loss their parents ..no mercy like how he always functioned ,,time for a new Gambia,time for change,time for development,time for freedom, time for a good economy..alhamdulila alhamdulila alhamdulila..Allah has come to our rescue ameen.
(Agrigri, agagra,) what is written, is written|When the Almighty One above destined the fate of a nation, no ONE can reverse such. God or Allah has spoken through the people of Gambia. What is needed now is reconciliation for the country Gambia to move on and for other neighbouring countries feel the new change.Congratulations to the people of Gambia and as Ghana also goes to the polls, may peace and tranquility prevail for us to elect a leader worthy of admiration of all