Gambian Parliamentarians on Monday, passed a motion (resolution) calling on the ECOWAS Heads of State Authority to desist from using force to flush out the regime of dictator Yahya Jammeh. The resolution has barred the West African bloc from deploying troops to Banjul, to settle the political impasse. Deputies agreed that peace should encouraged to settle the political impasse and not through forceful means. The MPS cited the issue of Gambia being a sovereign nation and the need for the country’s constitution to be respected by the African bloc.
Ruling APRC Parliamentarians also called on ECOWAS to encourage member states to send the supreme court judges recently hired to hear dictator Yahya Jammeh’s election petition. The members said the pending case must be heard before any transfer of power could happened.
Mr. Jammeh has barely 48 hours to finish his five year mandate as stipulated by the very constitution the APRC MPS are invoking. There is no provision in the Gambian constitution, which says a defeated incumbent cannot be replaced if he or she has a pending election petition before the courts.
Meanwhile, President elect Barrow, and his family have been hosted by the Senegalese government pending his official inauguration scheduled for Thursday, January 19th. Barrow and his Transition Team said the inauguration will go ahead on Thursday. ECOWAS has thrown its support behind President elect Barrow and the Gambian people.