Jammeh never said he is not stepping down, says African Bar Association

A delegation of the African Bar Association yesterday paid a courtesy call on President-elect Adama Barrow, a day after meeting with the outgoing President Yahya Jammeh.

Speaking to journalists shortly after the meeting, the president of the association, Hannibal Uwaifo, said the outgoing president never said he was not stepping down.

“He never told the African Bar Association that he was not stepping down,” he said.

According to the president of the Nigeria-based association, outgoing president Jammeh said that he is going to pursue his petition in court, “which is lawful and is the right thing to do”.

“The petition [challenging the result of the 1st December presidential election] is great, legal and constitutional; there is nothing wrong with that,” he said.

Mr Uwaifo said the African Bar Association is also pursuing a solution, adding that diplomacy that can solve the issue.

He pointed out that as an association, they have no recommendation for presidents Jammeh and Barrow as of now, because they are still doing their consultations.

As part of their consultation, he said they have met with the Attorney General to make clarification about the appointment of judges at the Supreme Court, but the Attorney General gave them a document that says the judges have been appointed since June but they have not assumed office yet.

President of the African Bar Association said they are yet to meet with the Gambia Bar Association; they hope to meet with them before going back.