OIC Sec-Gen Appeals To Outgoing Gambian President For Peaceful Handover Of Power

By Nur Ashikin Abdul Aziz KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 16 (Bernama) -- The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Secretary-General, Dr Yousef Al-Othaimeen, on Monday issued a strong appeal to Gambia's outgoing President Yahya Jammeh to ensure a smooth and peaceful transfer of power to president-elect Adama Barrow. Othaimeen reminded the outgoing leader, his government and particularly the defence and security forces of their responsibilities to protect the Gambian people. He urged them to exercise restraint and avoid any act capable of jeopardising the peaceful swearing in process of the President-elect. He also called on them to remember the possible consequences of their actions. Barrow won the Dec 1 presidential election, bringing to an end Jammeh's 22-year rule. The outgoing-president who came to power in 1994 following a military coup, had won four previous polls. Barrow is scheduled to take office on Thursday. But Jammeh, who had initially conceded defeat, reversed his position and demand a new election, due to "serious abnormalities", reports said. The secretary-general while recalling his recent message on behalf of all the OIC Member States that was delivered to Jammeh on Jan 9 in Banjul also reaffirmed OIC's support for all the international endeavours led by Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN) towards resolving the electoral impasse. He pleaded with the current authorities not to miss the opportunities offered to them for a peaceful settlement of the crisis in the remaining few days ahead. A delegation of West African leaders met Jammeh in the capital Banjul on Jan 13, to persuade him on behalf of regional bloc ECOWAS to make an honourable exit, to avoid crisis or civil war in Gambia. -- BERNAMA