Gambian president Yahya Jammeh has so far been unmoved by calls from fellow African leaders, the United Nations, and others to acknowledge his electoral defeat of earlier this month. The latest petition, by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), may get the attention of the longtime leader who often portrays himself as a devout Muslim.

The OIC, a 57-member organization that exists to “safeguard and protect the interests of the Muslim world,” issued a statement today calling on Jammeh to “fully respect the results” of the Dec. 1 election that showed him losing to property developer Adama Barrow. The OIC has been funding projects in Gambia, a Muslim-majority country, for years.

Jammeh, who has been president of The Gambia for the last 22 years, originally conceded the election held on Dec. 1 to his rival. A week later, after the new ruling coalition promised to prosecute Jammeh, the longtime leader said that he rejected the results. He has called for a recount, led by a “God-fearing” electoral commission. (After Barrow’s win and Jammeh’s concession, the OIC had issued a statement expressing its “profound satisfaction” with the peaceful and democratic elections that had taken place.)

Now, the OIC may have some sway on the president, who is often photographed carrying a Koran. Jammeh declared Gambia an Islamic republic last year as a way to further separate the country from its colonial past. Under his watch, female government workers were also reportedly banned from wearing their hair uncovered at work. He once said that he would rule for “one billion years” if “Allah says so.”</s>West Africa's regional bloc ECOWAS must ensure The Gambia's President Yahya Jammeh steps down because he lost an election, the bloc's chairwoman has said.

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia, the chair of the Economic Community of West African States, urged the leaders at the bloc's summit in the Nigerian capital of Abuja on Saturday to decide "measures to bring this matter to successful conclusion before January 19", when Jammeh's mandate expires.

She did not elaborate on what measures the bloc would take, but they could include sanctions.

Jammeh's 22 years in power have been marked by allegations of human rights abuses and repression against perceived political opponents.

He lost a December 1 election to little-known challenger Adama Barrow.

Initially, he conceded defeat but rejected the results later, calling for a fresh vote.

Gambian security forces seized the country's Independent Electoral Commission earlier this week. His party is now challenging the result in The Gambia's Supreme Court.

On Friday, Marcel de Souza, the bloc's president, said a military intervention must be considered if diplomacy failed to persuade Jammeh to step down.

READ MORE: Gambia's Jammeh rejects result of presidential election

Ebrima Sall, a Gambian senior social scientist, told Al Jazeera the business community, religious leaders and bar association have been calling on Jammeh to step down.

"Everybody is now speaking out," said Sall. "They have overcome the fear that was there and they are all calling upon him to leave and accept the verdict. They know the majority wants him to leave. Otherwise, he will be even more isolated internally, let alone internationally."

The United Nations, the United States and leading West African countries have condemned him.</s>The people of Gambia went to the polls on December 1, 2016. And as a result, incumbent President Yahya Jammeh lost the election to his main opponent, Adama Barrow. Initially, he accepted the outcome of the election and congratulated the elected candidate.

Few days after conceding defeat on state TV, the defeated Gambian President was reported to have rejected the election results, citing “serious and unacceptable abnormalities” in the electoral process.

Meanwhile, the head of Gambian electoral commission, had already explained that the rectified results did not change the overall outcome. Mr. Barrow won the presidential contest with 263,515 votes representing 45.5 per cent, while President Jammeh garnered 212,099 representing 36.7 per cent.

In recent times, the West Africa sub-region has seen member countries hold elections, and the political baton changing hands in a peaceful manner to the admiration of the international community.

In Nigeria for example, incumbent Goodluck Jonathan lost the 2015 presidential election to his opponent, Muhammadu Buhari. And the world hailed Africa’s largest country for the smooth transition of power.

Ghana has just held its 2016 Election in December. Consequently, the outcome of the election went in the favour of the opposition. Therefore, preparations are underway for President John Mahama to hand over to the President-elect, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on January 7, 2017.

It is disheartening that the embattled Gambian leader has turned a blind eye to the wind of democracy on the African continent. On the contrary, President Jammeh annulled the election results and called for another polls before filing a petition at the Supreme Court of the Gambia.

Brief about the Gambia

The Gambia, one of Africa’s smallest countries with a population of 1.8 million, gained independence from the British colony on February 18, 1965. Banjul is the capital, and English is the official language of the country.

The national economy is dominated by farming, fishing, and especially tourism. Agriculture accounts for about 30 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP), and employs over 70 per cent of the labour force.

Since independence, the country has had two leaders: Sir Dawda Jawara (1970–1994), and Lieutenant Yahya Jammeh who seized power through a military coup in 1994.

Unlike other West African countries, the Gambia has relatively enjoyed long spells of stability since independence. However, the stability has not translated into prosperity.

Several years ago, the country was known as a strong player in international diplomacy. Until 1994, Gambians didn’t need visas to travel to countries such as Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and the United Kingdom.

Regrettably, the misguided foreign policy of President Jammeh has created a hostile relationship between the Gamabia and these countries.

The Gambian economy, which used to be one of the most successful and resilient economies in West Africa, has downgraded miserably.

Rise to power

As a matter of fact, President Jammeh surprised the world and his worst critics by accepting defeat in the December 1 election. Amazingly, he made a turnaround and called off the election results.

The Gambian long-term President is known for walking around with his prayer beads and a stick. Yahya Jammeh is one of the world’s most eccentric and ruthless leaders. He portrays himself as a devout Muslim with miraculous powers to cure people of AIDS and infertility.

Born on May 25, 1965, as Yahya Abdul-Aziz Jemus Junkung Jammeh; he enlisted into the Gambian National Army in 1984 and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in 1989.

Jammeh received extensive military training in neighbouring Senegal, and later at Fort McClellan, Alabama. Subsequently, he seized power as a young 29-year army lieutenant in 1994 through a coup which removed Sir Dawda Jawara from office.

Lt. Jammeh founded the Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC) in 1996. President Jammeh won the 1996 presidential election; he was re-elected in 2001, 2006, and 2011. He suffered a shocking defeat in his fifth attempt after 22 years in office.

Abuse of human rights

The 22-year authoritarian rule of Yahya Jammeh was characterised by human rights’ violations and the incessant arrests of politicians, journalists and activists, often on false charges. President Jammeh has been heavily criticised for restricting freedom of the press.

The Gambian leader was behind the execution of several criminals and political opponents who were on death row. He also demonstrated his opposition to gay rights, having once threatened to behead gay people. ‘Homosexuality threatens human existence’, he emphasised.

In 2013, Jammeh ordered the last execution of prisoners on death row in the Gambia. As a result, nine people were executed, including an army lieutenant who was jailed in 1997 for attempted coup.

President Jammeh has been linked with the 2004 massacre of 44 Ghanaian migrants, and 10 other ECOWAS nationals. The alleged mercenaries were arrested and killed in a forest. But one of them managed to escape and later returned to Ghana to break the news about the gruesome killings in the Gambia.

Foreign intervention

President Jammeh’s decision not to accept the election results has sparked outrage and condemnation from the international community such as the United Nations (UN), the African Union (AU), the European Union (EU) and the United States.

Meanwhile, the preliminary intervention of the UN, AU and ECOWAS diplomats persuading President Jammeh to accept the choice of the Gambians has not been fruitful. I side with the sub-regional body that if persuasion fails force must be applied to get Jammeh out of office.

President Yahya Jammeh must respect the will of the Gambian people by cooperating with the incoming government to ensure smooth transition of power on January 19, 2017.

Enough is enough Mr. President; it’s time to bring your 22-year rule to an end and make way for the Gambia’s President-elect, Adama Barrow.</s>President of Liberia Ellen Johnson Sirleaf led a heavyweight delegation to The Gambia to seek to broker a deal, meeting both Jammeh and Barrow. By Seyllou (AFP/File)

Abuja (AFP) - Regional West African leaders on Saturday said The Gambia's president Yahya Jammeh must step down next month when his term runs out, just over a week after he challenged the result of an election in which he had already conceded defeat.

The 15-member Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) issued its call in a statement at the end of a summit in Nigeria.

"The Authority calls on President Yahya Jammeh to accept the result of the polls and refrain from any act likely to compromise the transition and peaceful transfer of power to the president-elect," they said.

The summit vowed "to take all necessary action to enforce the results" of the December 1 poll, without spelling out what the measures would be.

Opposition leader Adama Barrow was declared the winner of the presidential ballot and Jammeh initially conceded defeat, only to reverse his decision a week later, condemning "unacceptable errors" by election authorities and calling for a new vote.

The summit in Abuja was attended by 11 heads of state but without the leaders of four members including The Gambia.

Earlier, Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who is also ECOWAS chairwoman, said Jammeh's reversal "threatened peace", calling on him in a statement on December 10 "do the right thing and take actions to facilitate a smooth and peaceful transition in The Gambia."

On Saturday Johnson-Sirleaf said a prompt resolution of the crisis was essential.

"It is now important that the Authority, at this summit, considers recommended measures to bring this matter to successful conclusion before January 19, the constituted date when the mandate of the incumbent president expires," she told the summit.

Mohamed Ibn Chambas, the UN top envoy for West Africa, said the global body would support efforts to resolve the election logjam.

"The UN remains concerned by some of the worrisome developments that occurred during the post election period in The Gambia," Chambas said after the opening of the summit.

These included "in particular, the seizure of the headquarters of the Independent Electoral Commission by the Gambian military," he added.

The summit also appointed Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari and Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama to mediate in the dispute and report back to the regional grouping

On Tuesday, Sirleaf led a heavyweight delegation to The Gambia to seek to broker a deal, meeting both Jammeh and Barrow.

But Sirleaf announced at the end of the talks there was no deal.

The situation has been further complicated by Jammeh's political party filing a legal challenge against the result at the Supreme Court.

The African Union, the UN, local and international rights groups have asked Jammeh -- who has been in power for 22 years -- to step down.

Ahead of the ECOWAS summit, around 200 politicians, human rights activists and Gambian diaspora figures gathered in Dakar, capital of Senegal on Saturday to call for a peaceful transition of power in Gambia.

"We ask ECOWAS and the international community to ensure this choice is respected and to do all they can so that the democratic transition is not impeded," said a joint statement by Amnesty International, Article 19 and RADDHO rights groups.</s>A former Foreign Affairs Minister of The Gambia, Dr. Sedat Jobe, has recommended a military intervention to oust the country's president of 22 years, Yahya Jammeh if dialogue fails.

Mr. Jammeh, who conceded defeat in the country's presidential elections held on December 1, 2016, did a turnaround recently, calling for a re-run.

He subsequently filed a petition at the country's apex court after some four West African leaders, led by Liberia President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, failed to broker a deal with Jammeh to accept the election results.

An ongoing 50th Ordinary Session of the Authority of the Economic Commission of West African States – ECOWAS in Abuja, Nigeria, is expected to among others, discuss the Gambia's political situation.

But ahead of the ECOWAS decisions, Dr. Jobe, who served under Jammeh between 1998 and 2001, believes “the option of removing him by force is definitely an option” of getting the iron-fist ruler to leave the presidency.

“It has happened in Liberia, it has happened in Cote d' voire ; a very sharp rapid intervention to remove him and those who surround him will definitely give a lot of courage to the Gambian army who are ready to fight, but they do not know how to push him without bloodshed, he told journalists at a protest march organized in Senegal on Saturday, December 17, 2016.

The march, attended by several Gambians living in exile in neighboring Senegal, coincided with the ECOWAS session in Nigeria.

Despite proposing force, Dr. Jobe remains hopeful the West African Heads of State would be able to impress on the no-nonsense leader “to hand over peacefully”, saying, “it will be to his credit”.

It is unclear now what the fate of the president-elect, Adama Barrow is, as the January 18, 2017 handing over day, gradually draws to a close. Security forces have already seized control of the country's Independent Electoral Commission headquarters, further heightening tension in the small West African country.

Dr. Jobe fears a slow-paced resolution will plunge the country into irreversible calamity, welcoming all interventions to immediately reverse the looming crisis.

“Our problem in Africa is that, we are too slow to take decisions. This is so fragile that any rapid intervention from any state around who is doing it with the spirit of the UN and also the directive of the ECOWAS is mostly welcomed in the Gambia. If we stay discussing whether this is legitimate or not, we are wasting time. Jammeh has to be removed and we count on all those who will legitimately take a decision to remove him with force if he refuses to leave. Because he is an illegitimate rebel occupying a state”, he stated.

Meanwhile, Yahyah Drabo, the Vice President of the Gambian Refugees Association in Senegal, also supports moves for forced overthrow if all peaceful means fail.

Even though he conceded that would have some fatal consequences, he said that is necessary if Gambians should be freed.

“A peaceful process is everybody's response; but the options are there and we will not mind to go further to the next option, which is getting military relief. The bad side is that, we will lose our properties, lives and a lot of confusion, but notwithstanding that, if he won't go peacefully, the military is invited and we will suffer for two days then we get our freedom for the rest of our lives”.</s>Regional West African leaders on Saturday said The Gambia's President Yahya Jammeh must step down next month when his term runs out, just over a week after he challenged the result of an election in which he had already conceded defeat.

"The Authority calls on President Yahya Jammeh to accept the result of the polls and refrain from any act likely to compromise the transition and peaceful transfer of power to the president-elect," they said.

The summit vowed "to take all necessary action to enforce the results" of the December 1 poll, without spelling out what the measures would be.

Opposition leader Adama Barrow was declared the winner of the presidential ballot and Jammeh initially conceded defeat, only to reverse his decision a week later, condemning "unacceptable errors" by election authorities and calling for a new vote.

The summit in Abuja was attended by 11 heads of state but without the leaders of four members including The Gambia.

Earlier, Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who is also Ecowas chairwoman, said Jammeh's reversal "threatened peace", calling on him in a statement on December 10 "do the right thing and take actions to facilitate a smooth and peaceful transition in The Gambia".

"It is now important that the Authority, at this summit, considers recommended measures to bring this matter to successful conclusion before January 19, the constituted date when the mandate of the incumbent president expires," she told the summit.

"The UN remains concerned by some of the worrisome developments that occurred during the post-election period in The Gambia," Chambas said after the opening of the summit.

These included "in particular, the seizure of the headquarters of the Independent Electoral Commission by the Gambian military," he added.

The summit also appointed Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari and Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama to mediate in the dispute and report back to the regional grouping.

The situation has been further complicated by Jammeh's political party filing a legal challenge against the result at the Supreme Court.

The African Union, the UN, local and international rights groups have asked Jammeh — who has been in power for 22 years — to step down.

Ahead of the Ecowas summit, around 200 politicians, human rights activists and Gambian diaspora figures gathered in Dakar, capital of Senegal on Saturday to call for a peaceful transition of power in Gambia.

"We ask Ecowas and the international community to ensure this choice is respected and to do all they can so that the democratic transition is not impeded," said a joint statement by Amnesty International, Article 19 and RADDHO rights groups.</s>ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — West African leaders at a summit Saturday discussed how to get Gambia’s longtime ruler to accept an electoral defeat — and a military intervention was among the possible options.

Coup leader Yahya Jammeh shocked Gambians by conceding defeat after a Dec. 1 vote, then changed his mind and called for a new election. The United Nations, the United States and the African Union have all condemned the move.

Gambians “voted decisively for a change in the political leadership of the country,” Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, told the summit. Leaders must decide “measures to bring this matter to successful conclusion before Jan. 19” when Jammeh’s mandate expires.

She is the chair of the Economic Community of West African States. Eleven presidents were at Saturday’s summit in Abuja, Nigeria, with four absentees, most notably Jammeh.

Community President Marcel de Souza said this week a military intervention and “draconian measures” must be considered if diplomacy fails with Jammeh. He spoke in an interview with Radio France International.

Jammeh’s defiance challenges the first regional community in the world to agree to military interventions in member states accused of abusing human rights and democratic principles. It has spent 25 years nurturing democracy in a region once prone to military coups.

Jammeh acted after an opposition coalition official in Gambia said he should be prosecuted for gross human rights abuses. Jammeh is accused of arbitrarily detaining, torturing and sometimes killing political opponents.

Jammeh used the excuse of errors in the vote tally, ignoring the insistence of the country’s Independent Electoral Commission that the winner remains businessman Adama Barrow who won with a revised count of 227,708 votes to Jammeh’s 208,487. Barrow says he now fears for his life.

The ruling party filed a court challenge against the election results Tuesday, a constitutional move complicated by the fact that Gambia’s Supreme Court does not have a quorum. The United States said it doubts it is “a credible court dedicated to ensuring the integrity of Gambia’s democratic process.”

Jammeh on Tuesday sent troops to take over the electoral commission’s office in Banjul, the capital, shortly before a delegation of West African leaders arrived on an inconclusive mission.

Jammeh seized power in a bloodless coup in 1994 in the country of 1.9 million people which is known for its beaches.</s>As the deadlock over the political situation in The Gambia persist, heads of state and governments of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has vowed to take all necessary steps that would enforce the wish of the people of the country as reflected in the outcome of the December 1 general elections.

ECOWAS has therefore directed all heads of states to attend the inauguration of the President-elect Adama Barrow, whom they said, must be sworn in as president of The Gambia on the 19th of January 2017 in conformity with the country’s constitution. To this end, the Chair of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Mrs Ellen Johnson Sirleaf ,urged leaders in the sub-region to come up with and consider recommended measures that would proffer a peaceful resolution of the impending crisis in Gambia.

These formed part of the outcomes of the 50th ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government.

In the communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, read by Liberia’s Foreign Affairs Minister and Chairperson, ECOWAS Council of Ministers, Marjon Kamara, ECOWAS while calling on Jammeh to accept the result of the polls and refrain from any action likely to compromise the transition and peaceful transfer of power to the President-elect, charged the Gambian defence and security forces to perform their role in a nationalistic manner and protect lives and property.

The authority further disclosed that in its bid to uphold the result of the December 1, 2016 election, it would guarantee the safety and protection of the president-elect.

 While not foreclosing a peaceful resolution of the situation, the authority has set up a mediatory team to be headed by Nigeria’s President Buhari and assisted by John Mahama of Ghana.

The communiqué read in part: “The authority has considered the worrying political situation in The Gambia arising from the decision of his Excellency President Yahya Jammeh to reject the results of the presidential election of 1stDecember 2016 which had resulted in the election of Mr. Adama Barrow as the President-elect of the Gambia.”

 Part 37 (f) reads: “That his Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari, President and commander in chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will serve as Mediator in the Gambia and his Excellency, John Dramani Mahama, President of the Republic of Ghana as the Co-chair. The mediation process shall be conducted on the basis of terms of agreed by the Authority of Heads of State and Government.

ECOWAS is however seeking support from the international community by asking that the AU and the UN endorses all decisions taken on the matter of the Gambia, including the provision of technical assistance to the mediation efforts.

On the issue of peace, security and democracy in the region, the Authority, while affirming the importance of peace, security and stability for the economic development of the region, expressed deep concern over the serious humanitarian situation occasioned by Boko Haram attacks in the North-east which, according to them, has left over 7million people in dire need of humanitarian assistance. Accordingly, ECOWAS agreed to create a Special Solidarity Fund for the victims of terrorism and called on the international community to support the implementation of “Buhari Plan” for the rehabilitation and construction of the North-east of Nigeria.

The heads of state and government however agreed to hold the next ordinary session in Monrovia, Republic of Liberia on May 2017.

Highlight was the decision to set aside January 16 of every year as the ECOWAS Human Rights Day, in recognition of the ascension to power, Sirleaf as President of Liberia and first African Woman Head of State.

 A total of 11 heads of state graced the occasion while four were represented.</s>President John Mahama has been assigned to co-chair of the ECOWAS mediation committee in to solve the political deadlock in The Gambia.

President Mahama and Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari will be hoping to convince Yahya Jammeh to accept defeat in presidential elections in December.

The mediation committee formed at the 50th ordinary session of the authority of heads of state and government in Abuja has been tasked to ensure Gambian president, who has been in power for 22 years, hands over power leader of the opposition coalition, Adama Barrow.

Addressing the summit, Mr Mahama who also lost power to Ghana’s opposition leader Nana Akufo-Addo called on his colleagues in the sub-region to honour the investiture of Ghana’s incoming President on January 7.

He revealed he will be taking a long break after which he will take up international assignments once he exits office.

The ECOWAS leaders also commended the outgoing Ghanaian President for his exemplary leadership.</s>Accra, Dec. 17, GNA - President John Dramani Mahama, on Saturday, arrived in Abuja, the administrative capital of Nigeria, to attend the 50th ordinary Session of the Authority of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) heads of State and Government.

The end of year meeting, would among other issues, receive reports and discuss the political situations in Guinea Bissau and the Gambia.

A statement from the Flagstaff House Communication Bureau, and copied to the Ghana News Agency, in Accra, said the leaders would also review the annual report of the ECOWAS Commission.

"They will also review the Sub-region's strategy for the African Union positions," the statement said.
Leaders from the West African bloc ECOWAS and from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation plead with Gambian long-time President Yahya Jammeh who lost in the recently held elections to step aside or face consequences.