ACILA Calls On President Jammeh To Hand Over Power To Barrow

Research and education think tank, Africa Center for International Law and Accountability (ACILA) has called on Gambian President Mr. Yahya Jammeh to hand over power to President-Elect, Mr. Adama Barrow, when his term of office expires next month.

President Jammeh lost the election to Mr. Barrow last week and he accepted the results of the election and called Mr. Barrow to congratulate him on his victory. Barely one week after accepting the results, Mr. Jammeh backtracked saying he ‘totally rejects the results’ of the election, and called for a new election.

Both the UN Security Council and African Union have called on Mr. Jammeh to hand over power to Mr. Barrow, with the UN Security Council saying that the transfer of power to Mr. Barrow should be unconditional. The African Union said Mr. Jammeh’s call for a fresh election is “null and void”.

A statement signed Mr. William Nyarko, Executive Director of ACILA said that Mr. Jammeh should respect the sovereign will of the people of Gambia as expressed in their vote rejecting a continuation of the 22-year rule of Mr. Jammeh.

He said that at this time, President Jammeh should focus his attention on helping to establish a transitional team to transfer power to Mr. Barrow in accordance with the Constitution of Gambia.

According to Mr. Nyarko, President Jammeh is welcome to go to court to challenge the results of the election if he believes that the election was allegedly rigged.

He said that Article 49 of the Constitution of the Republic of the Gambia provides that any candidate who disputes the result of a presidential election should file a petition at the Supreme Court of the Gambia within ten days of the declaration of the result of the election for a determination, adding that Mr. Jammeh should follow the rule of law and file his petition at the Supreme Court.

“Any registered political party which has participated in the Presidential election or an independent candidate who has participated in such an election may apply to the Supreme Court to determine the validity of the election of a President by filing a petition within ten days of the declaration of the result of the election”, Article 49 of the Constitution of the Republic of the Gambia.