President Muhammadu Buhari was in Banjul, The Gambia Tuesday to meet with the country’s President, Yahya Jammeh, who lost the presidential election penultimate week.
The Nigerian leader, who arrived together with President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia, who is the current Chairperson of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS, and President Ernest Bai Koroma of Sierra-Leone, a statement by Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President (Media and Publicity) said, were received at the airport by Gambia’s Vice-President, Isatou Njie-Saidy.
The out-going President of Ghana, John Mahama, who had earlier arrived Banjul, joined the other West African leaders to meet President Jammeh at the CoCo Ocean Resort and Spa, Banjul.
President Jammeh had earlier conceded defeat in the election, after a 22-year rule, but recanted a week later, asking for fresh polls to be conducted by a “god-fearing and independent electoral commission.”
President Buhari and the ECOWAS leaders were expected to discuss the ensuing impasse in The Gambia with President Jammeh, and insist on the sanctity of the electoral process, and respect for the wishes of the people.
They were also expected to ask their host to respect the Constitution of his own country, and maintain the inviolability of an electoral process that had been concluded, and in which he had admitted defeat, and congratulated his main challenger.
The leaders were also scheduled to meet the President-elect, Adama Barrow.
President Buhari was expected back in Abuja later same Tuesday.