jammeh
Yahya Jammeh

Yahya Jammeh has finally agreed to step down as President of the Gambia. In a statement released on Gambian State television early Saturday, the now former President said;

“I have decided today in good conscience to relinquish the mantle of leadership of this great nation with infinite gratitude to all Gambians.

“My decision today was not dictated by anything else than the supreme interest of you the Gambian people and our dear country. At a time when we are witnessing trouble and fears in other parts of Africa and the world the peace and security of the Gambia is our collective heritage which we must jealously guard and defend.”

Jammeh’s announcement came after weeks of stalling to surrender the Presidency to his successor. The former president who was strongly cautioned by the international community and warned of a military intervention by ECOWAS rejected the results of the nation’s 2016 elections.

The new President, Adama Barrow was sworn in in the Gambian embassy in Dakar, Senegal on Thursday. He (Barrow) took to Twitter after Jammeh’s decision to step down and wrote: