A
supporter and financial contributor to the ruling APRC party, Amadou Samba, has
advised incumbent president Yahya Jammeh to step down and handover power to the
winner of the 1st December presidential election, Adama Barrow.
In
a letter to Jammeh, who rejected the result and said he is not leaving power
except there is a fresh election, Mr Samba said the “wisest course of action
today” for the incumbent is to cooperate with President-elect Barrow for a
smooth transition.
The
letter dated 16 December 2016, reads:
I
am writing to reiterate my thoughts and advice as a Gambian citizen and a
private businessman who has been participating in national development over the
past 35 years.
On
December 2nd 2016, Your Excellency graciously conceded defeat in a televised
conversation to your opponent President-elect Adama Barrow. This noble gesture
of yours was applauded around the world. It generated many positive references
from newspapers and statesmen around the world including President Barack Obama
and Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
Since
your statement of December 9th, many organisations including the UN Security
Council, the USA, the EU, the African Union, ECOWAS, the Gambia Bar
Association, the Gambia Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the Gambia Teachers
Union, the Muslim and Christian Religious Leaders and others have all asked
that you respect the choice that the Gambian people made on the December 1st
2016 elections.
Given
the strong global reaction, it is important to reflect on the fact that the
Gambian people have made their choice and the world community is strongly
supporting this choice.
I
write to affirm to you my conviction that the wisest course of action today is
to undertake a process of respecting the commitment Your Excellency made on
national television on December 2nd 2016 of cooperating with President-elect
Adama Barrow for a smooth transition.
During
my 35-year career as a private businessman, I have achieved many successes and
endured many setbacks. I have been a supporter of the APRC from its earliest
days. I have freely contributed to many
projects undertaken by the APRC Administration out of my own pocket. I did all
these things because of my love for my country and wanting to work hard so that
my children and grandchildren can grow up in freedom and prosperity for all
Gambians.
It
is out of this same sentiment that I implore Your Excellency to cooperate with
President-elect Adama Barrow for a smooth transition. I also urge you to
cooperate your fellow ECOWAS presidents and members to ensure that peace and
stability shall forever reign in our motherland.
