Image copyright AFP / Getty Images Image caption Supporters of elected Gambian President Adama Barrow have taken to the streets of neighbouring Senegal to show they back his leadership

The Gambia's leader Yahya Jammeh is to step down and leave the country, officials involved in negotiations say.

West African mediators spent several hours with Mr Jammeh on Friday, negotiating his future.

The motorcade carrying the presidents of Guinea and Mauritania has left the official residence, but they are not thought to have left the country.

Mr Jammeh was defeated in December's election and his successor Adama Barrow has been inaugurated.

A tweet from an account believed to belong to the new president, saying that Mr Jammeh had agreed to step down and go into exile, has since been deleted.

Image copyright @bbcfessy

But Mai Fatty, a senior aide to the new president, told the BBC's Umaru Fofana that Mr Jammeh had agreed to step down.

News agency AFP reported that Mr Jammeh had agreed in principle to go but that the terms of his departure were still being finalised.

Mr Barrow told Gambians who had fled the country that they now had "the liberty to return home".

"The rule of fear has been vanished from The Gambia for good," he said in the Senegalese capital, Dakar.

Mr Barrow has been in neighbouring Senegal for days. He was sworn in at the Gambian embassy there on Thursday.

West African nations, including Senegal, have deployed troops in The Gambia - threatening to drive Mr Jammeh out of office by force.

Mr Barrow's legitimacy as president has been recognised internationally, after he won last month's elections.

Image copyright Reuters/AFP Image caption Adama Barrow, left, beat Yahya Jammeh in the presidential election

Mr Jammeh was given an ultimatum to leave office or be forced out by UN-backed troops, which expired at 16:00 GMT on Friday.

The deadline was set by the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas), a regional grouping backed by the United Nations.

Striking a deal: BBC World Service Africa editor Richard Hamilton

The man who once said he would rule The Gambia for a billion years is finally leaving.

He is thought to have been offered an amnesty deal, so that he will not face charges of human rights abuses.

He had wanted to stay in The Gambia but this was not negotiable.

There have been suggestions he may now go to Guinea, although he has been offered asylum in Nigeria and it is thought Morocco has done the same.

Mr Jammeh's term expired at midnight on Wednesday - but, while still president, he engineered a parliamentary vote to extend his presidency. As Mr Barrow has already been sworn in, the country could be said to have two presidents at the same time.

Ecowas said that its forces, from Senegal and other West African countries, had encountered no resistance after entering The Gambia.

Why has Mr Jammeh been refusing to go?

Image copyright Reuters Image caption Mr Jammeh has called for new elections to be held in Gambia

After first accepting defeat in the election he reversed his position and said he would not step down. He declared a 90-day state of emergency, blaming irregularities in the electoral process.

The electoral commission accepted that some of its early results had contained errors but said they would not have affected Mr Barrow's win.

Mr Jammeh had said he would stay in office until new elections were held.</s>Gambia’s Minister of Information, Sidie Njie, has insisted that Yahya Jammeh will not step down as President.

Njie is the only Minister still in support of Jammeh, after six of his colleagues resigned two days earlier.

He has now told the BBC that his principal was still in control of the West African nation, despite Adama Barrow being sworn-in on Thursday.

Barrow defeated Jammeh in the December 1 presidential election and although he initially conceded defeat, Jammeh went on to reject the result of the polls. He is also refusing to vacate office amid regional and international pressure.

In his inaugural speech, Barrow urged the Gambian armed forces to remain loyal to the constitution.

“As commander-in-chief, I call on all personnel of the armed forces and other security agencies to be loyal to the Constitution and the Republic,” he said.

“As their commander-in-chief, I command all members of the armed forces to remain in the barracks and those found wanting or in possession of firearms without my command shall be considered rebels.”

He added that his administration had developed a think tank to put in place inclusive development, and urged all Gambians to “join hands to effect the change that will bring liberty and prosperity to everyone”.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Marcel de Souza, ECOWAS commission president; Moustapha Cisse Lo, ECOWAS parliament president; and Alima Ahmed, ECOWAS commissioner, political affairs, peace and security.</s>Yahya Jammeh’s lawyer flees to Senegal, advises him to step down

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Also, Like us on facebook</s>BANJUL Jan 20 (Reuters) – West African leaders were due in Banjul on Friday morning to offer Gambia’s veteran leader Yahya Jammeh a last chance to step down peacefully before regional forces, which have already entered the country, oust him.

Troops from regional bloc ECOWAS, spearheaded by Senegal and Nigeria, crossed into Gambia on Thursday at the request of newly elected President Adama Barrow, who had to be sworn in at Gambia’s embassy in Dakar as Jammeh clings to office.

The West African armies have given Jammeh, in power since a 1994 coup, until midday on Friday to quit before they continue their advance across the tiny slither of a country to the capital, Banjul.

The city was quiet overnight after hundreds of Gambians celebrated Barrow’s swearing in and the subsequent ECOWAS advance into their country – a popular destination for European tourists that Jammeh has ruled with an iron fist.

Gambia’s only land border is with Senegal and the regional coalition, which ECOWAS says involves 7,000 troops, has entered from the southeast, southwest and north.

Marcel de Souza, head of the ECOWAS commission, said Guinea’s President Alpha Conde would travel to Banjul with the leaders of Mauritania and Liberia to try to convince Jammeh to travel to Guinea before choosing a country of exile.

“It’s out of the question that he stays in place,” de Souza said.

Jammeh initially conceded to Barrow after a December election before he reversed his decision, saying the vote was flawed and he would remain in power until a new election could be held.

Barrow has been recognised as Gambia’s new president by world powers and Jammeh is increasingly isolated at home as ministers abandoned his camp.

On Thursday night, army chief General Ousman Badjie, who had publicly stood by Jammeh, was seen smiling on the streets, wading through a mass of jubilant Banjul residents shouting and dancing.

Barrow asked for foreign help to assume office immediately after he was sworn in on Thursday, a plan that was backed by the U.N. Security Council in New York. (Additional reporting by Emma Farge and Diadie Ba in Dakar; Writing by David Lewis; Editing by Richard Lough).</s>Embattled former president of The Gambia, Yahya Jammeh, has finally decided to step down, following his defeat in the presidential election held last month.

According to France 24, Jammeh is currently writing a statement where he accepts to leave, in the presence of Guinean officials.

Jammeh had reportedly asked the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), for an extension to the deadline given to him to vacate office.

The ECOWAS troops have already taken over large parts of The Gambia and are now on Banjul, the capital where they met with almost no resistance.

Despite Jammeh’s insistence of clinching onto power, Adama Barrow was yesterday sworn-in as President of Gambia in the country’s embassy in Senegal.</s>Gambia’s former President, Yahya Jammeh, will now leave Banjul on Saturday with President Alpha Conde of Guinea to begin a new life in exile.

This followed Friday’s final peace move by Conde and Mauritania’s President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz.

The two West African leaders travelled to Banjul to persuade the long ruling Jammeh to leave peacefully before West African forces pounce on him.

In a statement issued on state TV on Friday night, Jammeh announced that he was stepping down, a superfluous announcement as he was already no more the leader, having been denied recognition by the world.

All indications are that Jammeh will be going into exile in Guinea.

A senior adviser to new President Adama Barrow said talks to finalise the exile deal were holding up his exit.

“I can assure you that he has agreed to leave,” Mai Ahmad Fatty, Barrow’s special advisor, said in Senegal’s capital Dakar.

Fatty could not say where Jammeh would go into exile.

President of The Gambia, Adama Barrow, had earlier confirmed Jammeh would be stepping down.

Barrow, on his twitter handle on Friday, @adama_barrow, said: “I would like to inform you that Yahya Jammeh has agreed to step down.

Barrow on Thursday took the oath of office as Gambia’s new president.

He was sworn-in about 5pm Senegalese time at the Gambian High Commission in Dakar, Senegal.

Barrow succeeded Jammeh, who lost in the December 1 presidential election and refused to vacate office when his term expired midnight on Thursday.

Gambia’s Chief of Defence, Ousman Badjie, on Friday pledged loyalty to President Barrow.

“West African troops that crossed from neighbouring Senegal into Gambia to help unseat Jammeh would be welcomed with a cup of tea,’’ said Badjie.

ECOWAS armies halted Operation Restore Democracy aimed at installing Barrow on Thursday so regional leaders could make one last attempt to convince Jammeh to step aside.

In Dakar, the Nigerian Force Commander of Operation Restore Democracy, Air Commodore Tajudeen Yusuf, said the ECOWAS forces would not let down their guard in spite of negotiations for Jammeh to leave office.

Yusuf said the troops were awaiting briefing by the political leaders.

Yusuf made the statement while briefing newsmen in Dakar on Friday.

He said: “Even if he quits, we are not letting down our guard.

“Our mandate is to restore peace in Gambia.

“We have been on standby and the troops are still on a very high alert, depending on the outcome of political negotiations.

“We are not letting down our guard.

“Our mandate is to restore democracy in Gambia.”

Yusuf added that the mandate given to them was to restore peace and nothing else.

He promised to carry out his responsibilities professionally while waiting for further directive from the political masters.

Jammeh, in power since a 1994 coup, initially conceded defeat to Barrow following a December 1 election before back-tracking, saying the vote was flawed.</s>Gambia's longtime leader Yahya Jammeh, who lost a December election but refused to recognize the result, has agreed to step down and go into exile, a close advisor to new President Adama Barrow told Reuters.

 Mai Ahmad Fatty was shown a tweet from a Twitter account purported to belong to Barrow stating that Jammeh had agreed to the deal and was asked if it was authentic. "That is correct," he said.</s>After all the threats and chest beating of the last few weeks, Gambian strongman Yahya Jammeh yesterday agreed to step down and leave the country, a spokesperson to President Adama Barrow said.

Barrow made the announcement on Twitter, after hours of talks aimed at persuading Jammeh to recognise the result of the presidential election.

West African nations led by Nigeria have deployed troops in The Gambia threatening to drive him out of office by force.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo received briefing on the situation in Banjul from government officials yesterday soon after his return from Ibadan where he had gone on an official trip.

He is acting for President Muhammadu Buhari, who is on a 10-day medical vacation in the United Kingdom .

The Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the VP , Laolu Akande, said on his Twitter handle yesterday that : “VP Osinbajo on return to Abuja received update and briefings on the situation in Gambia and briefings from a number of cabinet ministers.”

Barrow has been in neighbouring Senegal for days. He was sworn-in in the Gambian embassy there on Thursday.

His legitimacy as president has been recognised internationally, after he won last month’s elections.

Jammeh’s deadline to cede power to Barrow lapsed several times as West African troops moved into the nation in a bid to force his removal.

Hours before, Gambia’s army chief abandoned the embattled longtime leader, saying his forces would not fight against a military operation to remove him, as regional leaders led a last ditch effort to convince him to flee into exile.

The defection of General Ousman Badjie, who had previously stood by Jammeh, removed what was perhaps the former coup leader’s last remaining pillar of support, potentially raising the likelihood of a peaceful solution to the political impasse.

While Barrow’s election victory last month and inauguration on Thursday were celebrated by many across the tiny nation of less than 2 million people, support for Jammeh remained strong among some Gambians, who opposed the military intervention.

Hours before Jammeh agreed to quit yesterday Gambians had taken to social media, particularly the Twitter which had recorded more than 200,000 tweets in praise of Nigeria, Senegal and ECOWAS.

The new President, Mr Adama Barrow, took to twitter thanking the people of the Gambia and the world.

The post Jammeh surrenders, goes into exile appeared first on The Nation Nigeria.

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Also, Like us on facebook</s>ECOWAS has given former President of Gambia, Yahya Jammeh one last chance to leave Banjul.

West African troops who have already crossed the border were ordered to halt till noon on Friday when Jammeh’s deadline elapses.

“We think that up until the last minute there is still a solution through dialogue,” said Marcel de Souza, head of the ECOWAS commission.

ECOWAS will send a team led by Guinea’s president, Alpha Conde, and including the presidents of Liberia and Mauritania to Banjul on Friday, de Souza said.

There was no resistance by Gambian troops at the border when the West African soldiers entered Thursday.

”Troops in Farafenni refused to fight. They opened border for ECOWAS troops to enter freely. No loss of lives down that end”, a source monitoring the operation said.

Gambian President, Adama Barrow was sworn in by the President of the Gambian bar Association at the Gambian Embassy in Senegal on Thursday.

“This is a day no Gambian will ever forget.

“Our national flag will now fly high among the most democratic nations of the world,” Barrow said.</s>Saidy abandoned President Yahya Jammeh, 24 hours to the deadline issued to him by African leaders to hand over to opposition leader, Adama Barrow.

She announced her resignation hours before official end of the tenure of Mr. Jammeh’s administration as the country’s political impasse gets worse over the refusal of Mr Jammeh to relinquish power to the President-elect Adama Barrow who was scheduled to be sworn in on Thursday.

The country’s minister of higher education, Aboubacar Senghore, who was appointed to the position last July, also resigned on Wednesday saying he cannot serve in the post beyond the tenure of the outgoing president.

“Given my strong religious and legal background, I feel it is now ethically and legally speaking time to step down as minister of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology and Religious Affairs as the constitutional mandate of the current government expires today, Wednesday 18th January 2017,” he wrote in his resignation letter to Mr Jammeh.

The resignation of Mr. Senghore, who was the country’s former foreign affairs minister, brings the number of minister that have resigned from Mr Jammeh’s cabinet since the political logjam to eight.

A source who asked not to be named for fear of being arrested, told PREMIUM TIMES that the increasing resignation of ministers may have forced Mr. Jammeh to dissolve his cabinet.

Having lost all legal avenue to stop the inauguration of Mr. Barrow, the Gambia president, relying on a motion by the parliament, controlled by his party, declared a 90-day state of emergency, which effectively extended his hold on power.

The situation in the tiny West African country has become dire after the failure of a team of leaders from the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, failed to convince Mr. Jammeh to allow for peaceful transition.

ECOWAS has since prepared troops drawn from countries in the region including Nigeria to forcibly remove Mr. Jammeh from office.

Reports indicated that a Nigerian warship was already sailing towards the country on Monday.

On Wednesday, thousands of Western tourists trying to leave the country before the expected deployment of the regional force, gathered at Gambia’s international airport.

Earlier, Nigerian soldiers and a Nigerian warship were sent to the Gambia to terminate the 22-year old leadership of President Jammeh who lost the December 1 election but has vowed not to hand over power today when his term runs out.

Jammeh, who was defeated by Adama Barrow, first conceded defeat but later changed his mind citing irregularities. He has since challenged the results in court but has suffered several setbacks.

Nigerian leader, Muhammadu Buhari was appointed chief mediator in the Gambia by ECOWAS but all attempts to convince Jammeh to leave power peacefully after 22 long years failed.
President Adama Barrow announces that Yahya Jammeh has agreed step down and leave the country following an intervention by ECOWAS states.