(JollofNews) – Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama, says his country will do everything possible to help The Gambia have a peaceful resolution to its political crisis.
Mr. Onyeama stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja.
The minister expressed optimism that the Gambian President Yahya Jammeh would listen to the voice of his people to resolve the political impasse in his country.
The Gambian leader had accused West African regional body, ECOWAS, of declaring war against his country, when he was asked to step down for a democratically elected president.
Mr. Jammeh spoke in reaction to a statement by the ECOWAS Commission President that the regional body had put forces on alert should the Gambian leader refuse to voluntarily quit after losing presidential elections.
Mr. Jammeh lost the December 1, 2016 election to rival Adama Barrow. He initially accepted the result and congratulated Mr. Barrow, but later recanted saying he would not step down.
The Gambian leader, who has been in power for 22 years, also promised to defend Gambia against any outside aggression in a New Year speech broadcast on state TV.
Mr. Onyeama expressed belief that in spite of the Gambian leader’s stance, Mr. Jammeh would honour the call of the ECOWAS leaders to bow out of office at the end of his mandate on January 19.
“We will like to believe that he will listen to the voice of his peers in the sub region ECOWAS.
“And that he will also listen to the voice of his people but above all he will follow the democratic path. So, we will do everything possible to bring that about.
“Essentially, we want a peaceful resolution to the issue, you know we have experienced conflict in our country and we know how far back in development conflict can take a country to.
“So we will do everything possible to help Gambia have a peaceful resolution to this political crisis,” the minister said.
President Muhammadu Buhari, who is heading a mediation committee on the Gambia’s political impasse, had led other West African leaders to meet with Messrs. Jammeh and Barrow on the issue.
Other leaders in the ECOWAS delegation were Presidents Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia, Ernest Koroma of Sierra Leone, and John Mahama of Ghana.
The leaders appealed to Mr. Jammeh to leave office and also reportedly sought a ‘honourable exit’ for him.
The exit would ensure that he is not tried for various human rights crimes he is alleged to have committed while in office.
However, in spite of the visit, Mr. Jammeh remained defiant.
Marcel de Souza, ECOWAS Commission President, said last week that the body had put standby forces on alert. Most of the forces would be Senegalese they be required, he said
In his speech on New Year Day, Mr. Jammeh decried the resolution of ECOWAS on the current situation to implement the results of December 1, 2016 presidential election by whatever means possible.
“It is in effect a declaration of war and an insult to our constitution.
“Let me make it very clear that we are ready to defend this country against any aggression,” he said.
“making the Gambia Armed Forces not only as one of the most developed armies but that which is second to none in the world.”
I NOW KNOW HOW JAMMEH THINKS HE CAN WIN A FIGHT AGAINST ECOWAS HE INTENDS TO MAKE THEM LAUGH THEMSELVES TO DEATH
WITH NO SHIPS
NO AIRFORCE OPPS SORRY ONE JET FIGHTER TYAT IS OVER 30 YEARS OLD
NO SUBMARINES
MO SMART BOMBS ACTUALLY NO DUMB BOMBS EITHER
NO MISSILES
NO DRONES APPART FROM PAPER PLANES
NO PARATROOPERS
NO SATELLITE’S AND NO ACCESS TO ANY
NO PROPPER COMMUNICATIONS MATERIAL
NO BRAINS :-WONT SAY HIGH ON DRUGS BECAUSE EVEN THE BIGGEST JUNKEY WOULD NOT SAY THE GAMBIAN IS SECOND TO NONE.
ANYONE THAT TRUST THEIR LIVES AND THAT OF THEIR FAMILIES REALLY SUFFERS FROM SERIOUS SELF HATE
I agree in the sense of if you had neighbor from hell who played their music loud past 12:00 pm when you know that not only your children had to also wake up at 6:00 am to get to to school at 8: oo am, you too would do all it takes to make sure that your neighbor did what was right and proper including to shut the fuck hell up to ensure that you and your kind had a peaceful night sleep – or had peaceful transition of power. And you know Gambians, the unspoken suspicion among some Nigerians has always been that some of missing Boko Haram girls might just be found in the many the underground dungeons of the Gambian Dictator as sex slaves? Remember many of the girls have never been found despite best efforts.
“The exit would ensure that he is not tried for various human rights crimes he is alleged to have committed while in office.”
I hope and pray that the ICC would not respect this gift and immunity.
hello to all
Babili Mansa is the choice of the people not the fat belly and ugly wheelbarrow. if the diaspora gambians think they can manipulate the results by bribing the IEC Chief Robber by fixing results they are fools. we the people in The Gambia cannot be fooled by you. We know who is giving us progress and development. We will stand our hero Yahya Jammeh till the end. His love for Gambia cannot march you the hypocrits Diasporan Gambians who looted our monies and fled and now you want to come back by bribing the electoral chief robber to fix figures. Jammeh is not a fool neither a coward.
I am impressed with Ecowas resolve to provide a peaceful solution to the Gambian Election Dispute. Ecowas appointed a MediationTeam led by President Buhari of Nigeria. Ecowas is proactive in finding a solution to the Dispute. In Zambia 4 months after a disputed Election the Petition against the Re-Election of Mr Lungu is still unheard and not disposed off. How come SADC is turning a blind eye to this Election Dispute? Can’t SADC intervene in this Election Dispute? Surely like Ecowas, SADC should appoint a Mediation Team to make sure that the Petition is heard and the Will of the People is respected. Lungu has been using State Machinery to frustrate and block the Hearing of the Petition. SADC should look into the Zambian Election Dispute urgently instead of waiting to see dead bodies on the streets in Zambia. SADC is docile and inactive and should learn from Ecowas what it takes to stop electoral theft and fraud. SADC should emulate Ecowas and supervise the Hearing of the Presidential Petition in Zambia without further delay.
All what gambia needs is peaceful transition of power and if that can’t work then the guns will speak. Every gambian is in fear whether abroad or not as i am speaking i wish i was not born in the gambia.