President Yahya Jammeh on Thursday in Banjul
reiterated his stand that he would not step
down as Gambian leader when his mandate
ends on Wednesday.
The information ministry said in a statement
read on national television that Jammeh was
planning to remain in office until the Supreme
Court decides on a petition he filed.
Jammeh is challenging the result of the Dec. 1
presidential election he lost to Adama Barrow.

Barrow, a former real estate agent who was
little known before he announced his candidacy,
meanwhile has also reiterated he is planning to
take office on Jan. 19, as scheduled.
Earlier this week, Gambia’s dysfunctional
Supreme Court adjourned hearing Jammeh’s
petition to Monday, since only one of a required
minimum of five judges were present.
Experts however believe it will be highly
unlikely that four additional judges will be
present on Monday.

This is because the Supreme Court has not
been operational since Jammeh fired several of
the court’s judges in mid-2016.
All other eligible Court of Appeal judges left the
country after the December election.
Observers fear that delays to the planned hand-
over of power could lead to violence as Gambia
has been in a political lockdown since Jammeh
refused to accept the result.
Meanwhile, some West African leaders,
including Nigeria’s President Muhammadu
Buhari, are expected to arrive in Gambia to
convince Jammeh to respect the constitution
and hand over the presidency.