ECOWAS negotiators on the leadership crisis in The Gambia say they remain resolute and will consider all options available to ensure a democratic change of power is achieved come January the 19th.
The latest resolve was reached after a meeting of the regional leaders which took place in Abuja.
African leaders who have been involved in trying to force a peaceful transition of power in the Gambia since President Yahya Jammeh went back on his resolve to concede victory to Adama Barrow, winner of the Gambia Presidential elections which took place last last year.
Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf who doubles as the ECOWAS chair, President Macky Sall of Senegal, President ECOWAS Commission Marcel Alain De Souza and Former President of Ghana John Mahama whose recent concession of victory makes him the new reference point in Africa on peaceful handovers in a democratic setting.
An earlier meeting between the negotiators had taken place in Ghana, on the sidelines of the inauguration of the new President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo but it had been inconclusive, hence the decision to move the meeting to Abuja Nigeria.
And after four hours behind closed doors, it was obvious from the briefing by Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister when the leaders came out, that the negotiators and indeed ECOWAS were yet to reach an iron cast decision on the way to bring closure to the electoral crisis in the Gambia.
All options remain open, but the target of the Negotiators remains ensuring the swearing in of the new President chosen by the Gambian people come January 19th.
