A Nigerian politician is urging caution in the use of the military option in the Gambia saying such an action could threaten the entire sub-region.
Ike Ekweremadu, the Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate and former Speaker of the Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), warned in a statement issued last week that Gambia could be plunged into bloodletting and the peace of the sub-region could be threatened should the military option be carried out.
Gambian President Yahya Jammeh, who lost to opposition candidate Adama Barrow in the December 1, 2016 presidential election, has stated that he would not hand over power because of irregularities during the election.
He has petitioned the Supreme Court asking for a rerun of the poll. The chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Alieu Momar Njai, has, meanwhile, fled the country following threats to his life.
Jammeh’s position has been condemned by the international community, including ECOWAS, which sent four presidents to Banjul last month to urge him to hand over power peacefully but he rejected their position.
Ekweremadu urged ECOWAS as well as the international community to explore dialogue and allow Gambian laws to prevail.
He also called for sanctions to be applied in line with the traditions and relevant protocols of ECOWAS should dialogue and judicial options fail.
Ekweremadu said: “From Liberia to Sierra Leone, Cote d’Ivoire, among others, West Africa has seen so much bloodletting and political instability. Heavy destruction of lives and property has been visited on the sub-region by insurgency and terrorism, which remain a danger to the peace and security of West Africa. Instructively, what normally started like child’s play often resulted in protracted, but avoidable political upheavals and fratricidal wars.”
He commended ECOWAS leaders for the concern and commitment toward resolving the political situation in Gambia.
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