General
Ousman Badgie, chief of defence staff of the Gambia Armed Forces (GAF), called
president-elected Adama Barrow on phone Sunday to pledge allegiance to him and
his government, Reuters has reported.
According
to the news agency, Barrow’s spokeswoman Amie Bojang-Sissohor yesterday
confirmed that General Badgie had called to congratulate Mr Barrow on his
victory and to pledge his loyalty.
Barrow,
backed by a coalition of seven opposition parties and an independent candidate,
ended Jammeh’s 22 years of rule by winning 43 per cent of the vote in the 1st
December poll; Jammeh got 40 per cent.
A
spokesman for the army was not immediately available to comment.
Barrow,
a low-key character who has quietly risen in the ranks of Gambian politics, has
promised to form a unity government that will oversee a three-year transition
of power before new elections are held.
On
Friday, shortly after the Independent Electoral Commission declared the result
of the election, General Badgie and IGP Yankuba Sonko were on the state TV,
GRTS, to assure the victor and his team of the security forces’ support for the
progress of the country.
Badgie
told the president-elect: “We are here
for you and your government and the people of The Gambia in general, and let me
inform you that all security forces in the country are behind you and your
government for the betterment of this country and nothing else.”
Similarly,
IGP Sonko also congratulated Mr Barrow for his victory, while thanking the
outgoing President Jammeh for conceding defeat.
He
also warned against post-election violence, saying people can call 555 (toll
free) to report any incident of violence.
Sonko
said security officers are deployed at strategic places to make sure that the
peace in the country is maintained, and to protect lives and properties of
people as they go about their normal business.
