AASU Calls On President Yahya Jammeh Of The Gambia To Step Down

The All-Africa Students Union (AASU) has been following with keen interest the political situation in the Gambia. In fact, since the presidential election was held in The Gambia on 1^st December, 2016, the country has been plunged in a stalemate due to the refusal of President Yahya Jammeh to accept the result of the general election.

President Jammeh has been in power for the past twenty-two (22) years and winning all the elections except the last one considered to be the most democratic, free and fair. To the surprise and delight of the International community, President Jammeh accepted the result first, before rejecting it subsequently. Since then, calls have come from all and sundry asking President Jammeh to accept the result and handover the reign of power to the President-elect, Mr. Adama Barrow.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) with the backing of the African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN) has mandated a negotiating team headed by H.E Muhammad Buhari - President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to find a peaceful solution to this crisis but to no avail so far.

As stipulated by the Gambian constitution, ECOWAS has decided that President Mr. Barrow will be sworn in on the 19^thJanuary 2017 when the mandate of President Jammeh comes to an end. But the persistence of Jammeh to hang on to power by all means and the desire of ECOWAS not to allow impunity to prevail on the will of the people of the Gambia have created the fear of military confrontation.

The consequences of such eventuality on the general populace, particularly on the students’ community, are dangerous and incalculable.

Therefore, AASU calls on President Jammeh to accept the will of the Gambian who voted for Mr. Adama Barrow and handover peacefully the reign of power.

AASU salutes the efforts of ECOWAS by setting up a Negotiating Team led by President Buhari in its quest for peaceful solution to the problem.

In the meantime also, AASU is putting together a campaign to evacuate the student community in the Gambia should it become obvious that the nation will be plunged into war. The intention is to settle the students into universities in neighboring countries until The Gambia is stable politically.

The AASU team is working assiduously to be able to mobilize the needed resources and join forces with the key stakeholders to be able to fulfill its mandate towards students in the Gambia.

AASU urges ECOWAS to CONSIDER MILITARY SOLUTION, ONLY AS A LAST RESORT.

Long live democratic rule!
The will of the people must prevail at all times!
Signed,
H.E PETER KWASI KODJIE
11^th Secretary General (Head of Mission)

All-Africa Students Union (AASU)
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