Gambian President Yahya Jammeh has declared his “total rejection” of the results of his country’s December 1 election and called for his country to vote again — a week after accepting his defeat.
Jammeh, who has ruled Gambia with an iron grip since seizing power in a 1994 military coup, suffered a shock loss after running for his fifth term in office.
On December 2, Jammeh accepted his defeat and congratulated Adama Barrow on his victory in an address broadcast by Gambian state television. But he now refuses to accept the outcome.
“I announce to you, Gambians, my total rejection of the election results and thereby annulling the elections in its entirety,” he said in a televised speech Friday.
“We will go back to the polls because I want to make sure that every Gambian has voted under an independent electoral commission that is independent, neutral and free from foreign influence.”
Jammeh had been expected to concede power to his opponent Adama Barrow, with the country’s electoral commission announcing last week that the president would do so.
US: ‘Reprehensible breach of faith’
Jammeh’s call for fresh elections was immediately criticized by the US government.
“This action is a reprehensible and unacceptable breach of faith with the people of the Gambia and an egregious attempt to undermine a credible election process and remain in power illegitimately,” the US State Department said in a statement.
“We call upon President Jammeh, who accepted the election results on December 2, to carry out an orderly transition of power to President-elect Barrow in accordance with the Gambian constitution.”
A spokesman for rights group Human Rights Watch said it was “deeply concerned” by reports of Jammeh’s belated rejection of the results.
“The international community, notably Ecowas and the African Union, should loudly protest any unlawful attempt to subvert the will of the Gambian people,” said Babatunde Olugboji. Ecowas is a bloc of West African states to which Gambia belongs.
Human rights groups have described Jammeh’s 22-year-old regime as abusive, with hundreds of political prisoners languishing in jail. Jammeh also attracted heavy criticism for claiming that he had created an herbal remedy for AIDS, and he once threatened to behead gay people.
Barrow, a property developer, won more than 45% of the vote with 263,515 ballots cast for him. Barrow previously worked as a security guard at an Argos retail store in London where he once tackled a shoplifter, according to reports in UK newspapers.
On the eve and on the day of the elections, websites and phone lines were blocked. Heavy paramilitary presence was reported at poll stations as Gambians cast their votes using the country’s unique marbles and drums system.
Human rights in the country have long been a topic of concern among international NGOs. In April, the national organizing secretary of the UDP, the country’s largest opposition party, was beaten to death while in the custody of security services, according to a Human Rights Watch report.
Political dissidents have been jailed and abused, according to the media monitoring organization Article 19.
The small West African nation is the fourth-largest source of migrants arriving in Italy, despite having a population of fewer than two million people.
