The Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS) has deferred its final decision on Gambia after West African leaders met briefly in Ghana’s capital, Accra.
The leaders say they are still mediating to ensure that embattled president of that country, Yahya Jammeh hands over power peacefully to president-elect Adama Barrow.
Mr. Jammeh has refused to step down claiming the elections held last year were flawed. He had initially accepted the results and congratulated Mr. Barrow but changed his mind later.
The Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf who is also the chairperson of the ECOWAS heads of state told journalists in Accra that “We are committed to a peaceful mediation and a peaceful transfer of power in the Gambia. We will continue to pursue that for now,”
President Sirleaf said there would be no deployment of a standby force immediately to oust Mr. Jammeh should he refuse to exit power on January 19.
She said ECOWAS is monitoring closely proceedings in Gambia’s Supreme Court after Mr. Jammeh petitioned the court over the election results.
Ghana’s new President Nana Akufo-Addo attended the meeting of the heads of state for the first time after he was sworn in on Saturday.
Source: Africafeeds.com
