Gambia’s incumbent President Yahya Jammeh has called the decision by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to send troops to Gambia to force him to step down from power after losing last month’s elections a declaration of war, reports Aljazeera
Following President Jammeh’s decision to reject presidential election results after briefly accepting losing to the opposition leader Adama Barrow is what prompted ECOWAS leader to deploy regional troops to the country.
ECOWAS mediation services are being rail roaded by their ‘blatant and one-sided approach’ said President Jammeh’s during his New Year Message broadcasted on Saturday according to the report by Al Jazeera.
“Let me make very clear, we are ready to defend this country against any aggression,” Jammeh said, adding that if ECOWAS did not back down “the impasse will continue with the risk of escalation into a military confrontation… What we are simply and rightfully asking for is to return to the polls and allow the Gambians to elect who they want to be their president in a free and fair election.”
Jammeh has filed a petition at the Supreme Court which is due to be reviewed on January 10 alleging irregularities in elections.
ECOWAS said it will stage a military intervention, led by neighbouring Senegal, if Jammeh failed to step down by January 19th, the day of Barrow’s planned inauguration.
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