 |
| Barrow (left) |
Adama Barrow, who won the December 1,
last year election, was inaugurated as president at an event in Dakar,
Senegal, witnessed by top United Nations diplomats.
But the defeated incumbent Yahya Jammeh stayed put at the presidential palace in Banjul, The Gambian capital.
A few hours to the expiration of his
legal term on Wednesday, he failed to utilize the opportunity provided
by visiting Mauritanian president for him to stand down.
West African leaders have so far failed to persuade Jammeh to quit. They have threatened to remove him by force.
Senegalese troops yesterday entered The
Gambia to ensure Adama Barrow assume power as the country’s president, a
Senegalese army spokesman said.
Senegalese army spokesman Col Abdou
Ndiaye was quoted by news agencies as saying the country’s troops
entered The Gambia yesterday afternoon.
Nigeria said its “armed reconnaissance air force are over Gambia”, AFP reports.
Jammeh lost the poll, according to the
Gambian electoral commission. But he wants the results annulled, citing
errors in the electoral process.
Taking his oath, Barrow said: “I, Adama
Barrow, do swear that I’ll well and truly prosecute the functions of
office of the president of the Republic of The Gambia. That I will
preserve and defend the constitution”.
President of the Gambian Bar Association, Sherrif Tambadou, administered the oath of office on the President.
Barrow was relocated to Dakar by the ECOWAS Mediation Team led by President Muhammadu Buhari.
In his inauguration speech, he ordered all members of The Gambia’s armed forces to remain in their barracks.
“Those found illegally holding arms will be considered rebels,” he warned.
Western ambassadors to Senegal, the UN
envoy for West Africa and top officials from the regional bloc Economic
Community of West African States (ECOWAS) attended the ceremony.
Hundreds of Gambian expatriates gathered outside the compound.
Nigeria’s fighter jets were yesterday conducting “armed reconnaissance air force over Gambia.
“They have the capacity to strike,” Nigerian Air Force spokesman Ayodele Famuyiwa told the French news agency AFP.
The Nation’s source who is embedded with the Nigerian forces said the mood of the troops was upbeat.
The troops are camped at Base Aeriene
Amee De L’air Senegal where they are supporting other countries to plan
logistics in case of a military action.
The source said: “Troops deployed by
other countries are stationed in different locations, particularly close
to the border between Senegal and The Gambia for easy advancement in
the event of any call for military action.
“The morale of the troops is high with
expectation to quell any insurrection in Gambia while our air assets
conducting surveillance over Gambia and neighbouring countries,” he
said.
In Banjul, it was eerily quiet. Most
streets were deserted; shops, petrol stations and banks were closed.
People were mostly staying indoors, uncertain about what might happen.
In some areas, men were standing on the
roadside, arms crossed or looking at their phones. Some told reporters
they were waiting for President Jammeh to go and would take to the
streets once Barrow was sworn inRead more at: The Nation
EmoticonEmoticon