The Chairman Gambia’s electoral commission, Alieu Momar Njai, has stated that security forces have taken over the headquarters of the electoral commission and staff were barred from entering. This follows the refusal of President Yahya Jammeh to accept his loss in recent elections.
President Yahya Jammeh initially conceded defeat to Adam Barrow in a recent poll, before changing his mind.
Visiting West African leaders have met Mr Jammeh to try to persuade him to step down after 22 years in power.
“We hope and pray that he [Jammeh] accepts their advice and leaves office,” Mr Njai said.
A senior official of regional bloc Ecowas, Marcel de Souza, would not rule out sending in troops.
“We currently have troops in Guinea-Bissau with the Ecomib mission. We have had troops in Mali. And therefore it is a possible solution.”
Mr Jammeh’s ruling APRC party filed a petition on Tuesday with the Supreme Court, asking it to annul the election results.
The president had questioned the validity of the count after the electoral commission changed some results, even though it insists the outcome was not affected.
The commission said Mr Barrow obtained 222,708 votes (43.3%) compared with Mr Jammeh’s 208,487 (39.6%). A third candidate, Mama Kandeh, won 89,768 votes (17.1%).
Mr Njai on Sunday defended the results and warned Mr Jammeh against a legal challenge.
“The election results were correct, nothing will change that,” he said. “If it goes to court, we can prove every vote cast. The results are there for everyone to see.”
The leaders of Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone are all in The Gambia for talks with Mr Jammeh.
Gambia’s army chief Ousman Badjie has seemingly reversed a pledge of support for Mr Barrow, the AFP agency reported, arriving at talks wearing a badge featuring Mr Jammeh’s face on his uniform.
BBC
