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Nigeria Offers Gambian President Asylum, If He Steps Down

by Fern Robinson

   Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari headed up a delegation to Gambia
   Friday to offer President Yahya Jammeh asylum if he steps down to allow
   for a peaceful transfer of power following last month's election.

   Jammeh, who has ruled the tiny West African country for 22 years, was
   declared the loser in Gambia's December 1 election. His government was
   accused of numerous rights abuses during his time in office, including
   arbitrary arrests, torture, and forced disappearances.

   The U.S. State Department Human Rights report said "officials routinely
   used various methods of intimidation to retain power."

   Opposition candidate Adama Barrow, who was declared the winner in the
   election, said he will continue to plan his inauguration for January
   19.

   Initially, Jammeh accepted the results, but his political party filed a
   legal complaint against the electoral commission about a week later,
   citing voting irregularities.

   The Associated Press reports that Gambia's Supreme Court might not be
   able to hear the challenge until May because it is short of judges.
   Jammeh wants to wait for the court's decision, according to the AP.

   The head of the electoral commission fled to neighboring Senegal after
   Jammeh accused him in his New Year's address of falsifying results.
   Jammeh said no one would cheat him. It was seen as a veiled threat.

   Earlier this month, Gambia's army chief reaffirmed his support for
   Jammeh in a letter published in a pro-government newspaper.

   The United Nations and several other African leaders have asked Jammeh
   to step down peacefully.

   West African regional bloc ECOWAS has placed its military force on
   standby if Jammeh does not step down next week.

   International military historian at the University Félix
   Houphouët-Boigny in Abidjan, Arthur Banga, said the Gambian military
   would likely be no match for ECOWAS forces.