The Gambia's
president, Adama Barrow, has promised that he will hand over peacefully to his
successor when his tenure as president elapses.
While speaking
to the Nigerian Television Authority, NTA, on Sunday night, Barrow recognised
the contribution of African and world leaders to ensure that Justice and the
will of the people prevailed in Gambia.
Barrow, who
had to leave his country for a while and was inaugurated as president in
Senegal due to his predecessor's refusal to peacefully step down has promised
that his successor will not experience the same thing he did. He also pledged
to put laws in place to ensure the smooth transfer of power and also
presidential term limits to prevent any one person from holding on to power
indefinitely.
"This
time the democratic principle will be reinstated. And we will improve on them.
We will put in place laws that nobody will stay long. Laws like term limit.“
Every
president will know that; ‘look I am president but at this time I will leave
power.’ You will behave yourself and try to work for the country so that you
will leave a good legacy,” Mr. Barrow said.
Barrow spoke
on the Exile of Yahya Jammeh to Equatorial Guinea, revealing that Jammeh was
allowed to leave so as to ensure his safety.
He said:
“We don’t want him to stay in the Gambia,
because we cannot guarantee his security. The security situation in the Gambia
is fragile. It’s a very difficult situation. And if you allow a former
President to stay in your country, you have to guarantee his security.
"If you
cannot guarantee his security, it will be impossible for us to keep him. That
is why our stand is; let him leave to a foreign land. In the future he might
come back if things settle down.”
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