[ 2017-01-19 ]

Dr. Kwesi Aning, Security expert

Blame African leaders for Gambia crisis – Kwesi Aning
Security expert, Kwesi Aning has blamed the
leadership of Africa for failing to sanction
President of The Gambia, Yahya Jammeh for his
consistent flouting of the continent’s framework
for good governance.

According to him, the continent must deal with Mr
Jammeh in a straightforward manner.

Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Wednesday,
Mr Aning said more stringent measures should be
taken since he has disregarded all the necessary
diplomatic procedures extended to him.

“When former President Mahama visited Gambia,
the psychological game there was that Mr Mahama
sends a signal to Mr Jammeh that there was life
after Presidency, but you see, it is not always
that you can play a decent diplomatic game with a
person who does not understand the basic laws and
principles of diplomacy,” Kwesi Aning said.

“It has become necessary that the appropriate
articles under ECOWAS’ protocols be invoked and
if we need to fight to preserve the molecule of
respect for ECOWAS,” he added.

There is a political stalemate in the West African
country as the President, Yahya Jammeh has
resolved not to step down ECOWAS leaders have
failed on two occasions to convince Mr Jammeh to
step down.

Jammeh, days after conceding defeat in the
elections, raised allegations of malpractices and
filed a motion to challenge the results in the
Supreme Court.

The country had been without a functional Supreme
Court for two years, after Mr. Jammeh sacked some
Supreme Court judges for ruling against his
government in a case against affecting ex-military
chiefs.

The country’s Chief Justice, Emmanuel Fagbenle,
pulled out of the case filed by Jammeh, seeking to
stop the inauguration of President-elect Adama
Barrow.

Other senior officers in Mr. Jammeh’s government
including the Ministers of Trade, Environment,
Finance and recently Foreign Affairs, have all
resigned, spelling more doom for Mr. Jammeh.

There are reports of many citizens and tourists
fleeing the country ahead of Thursday’s
inauguration of President-elect Adama Barrow who
is currently in Senegal until the swearing-in.

‘Military intervention in Gambia’

Parliamentarians in Gambia on Monday, January 16,
2017, passed a resolution demanding that ECOWAS
Heads of State Authority desist from using force
to remove Mr. Jammeh from office.

The legislators say a peaceful means must be
employed to settle the political stalemate,
stating that the Gambia was a sovereign nation and
its constitution must be respected.

‘State of emergency’

Yahya Jammeh, on Tuesday, declared a 90-day state
of emergency in the West African country. He did
not give details for his declaration in the public
announcement.

‘Parliamentarians extend President’s rule’

Meanwhile, the Parliament in Gambia has extended
the rule of current President Yahya Jammeh by 90
days.

The House passed the resolution on Wednesday,
January 18, 2017, a day before Mr Jammeh’s term
in office, officially expires.

‘Adama Barrow’s swearing-in in limbo’

The inauguration of President-elect Adama Barrow
is currently in limbo.

BBC Africa correspondent, Umaru Fofana told the
Citi Breakfast Show currently in Gambia said
Barrow’s inauguration might not happen.

“To be honest everything seems to be up in the
air, nobody is sure what will happen in the next
minute… By midnight tonight, his [Jammeh’s]
tenure should end, but Parliament extended his
mandate yesterday, the legitimacy of that is being
challenged. The opposition collation assured me
that they will go ahead with their inauguration
tomorrow but that was before the state of
emergency declaration. Due to the emergency
declaration, large gatherings will not be allowed
and I honestly can’t see how an inauguration
ceremony will go ahead tomorrow with a state of
emergency,” he opined.

‘Nigeria’s warship’

There were reports that Nigeria has dispatched a
warship to Gambia following the political crisis
but Fofana said “at this moment, the Nigerian
military source told the BBC that they were not
coming to fire any shot at least for a start.”

“If there is cooperation it will end that way
but we are not sure what is happening,” he
added.

Source - citifmonline.com

... go Back