Institute
for Human Rights and Development in Africa (IHRDA) has added its voice to that
of those calling on President Yahya Jammeh to relinquish power to
President-elect Adama Barrow, who the Gambian people have legally chosen to
serve as their president.
The
following is a statement by IHRDA on annulment of the results of the December 1
presidential poll in The Gambia:
Statement
by IHRDA on Annulment of Results of Gambia’s Presidential Election by out-going
President
On
1 December 2016, Gambians went to the polls and voted in the country’s
Presidential Election. On 2 December 2016, the Chairperson of the Independent
Electoral Commission (IEC) of The Gambia announced that the independent
candidate Mr Adama Barrow had won the election. The out-going President Yahya
Jammeh conceded defeated on State media on the same day.
One
week after conceding defeat, the incumbent went on State media and annulled the
election, calling for the constitution of a new IEC and holding of new
election.
Noting
that Gambia has ratified the ECOWAS “Protocol A/SP1/12/01 on Democracy and Good
Governance Supplementary to the Protocol relating to the Mechanism for Conflict
Prevention, Management, Resolution, Peacekeeping and Security”, of which
Article 9 demands that all candidates who lose in State elections shall concede
defeat and hand-over power to the candidate declared winner;
Mindful
of fact that Gambia has signed the “African Charter on Democracy, Elections and
Governance”, which requires States to adhere to “the universal values and
principles of democracy and respect for human rights”, and to hold “regular
free and fair elections to institutionalize legitimate authority of
representative government, as well as democratic change of governments”;
Considering
that Chapter V, Part 3(6) of the Constitution of The Gambia allows for
candidates of Presidential Election to contest the results by petitioning the
Supreme Court within ten (10) days from declaration of results;
Noting
that out-going President Jammeh unilaterally went ahead and annulled the
election, instead of complying with the above Constitutional provision;
We
call on the outgoing President Jammeh to recognize and respect the will of
Gambians freely expressed through the ballot box, and to take measures to ensure
a smooth and peaceful transfer of power to President-Elect Mr Adama Barrow.
We
further urge President Jammeh to uphold the values of peace and human rights;
to act towards the best interest of Gambians, as enshrined in the Constitution
of The Gambia, and to comply with all relevant provisions of The Gambia’s
Constitution, as well as regional and international human rights commitments of
The Gambia.
Source:
IHRDA
