As the count down for the inauguration of a new government in The Gambia begins, African leaders would on Saturday in Accra, Ghana take a final decision which apparently would lead to the oust of President Yahya Jammeh from the grip of power. It will be recalled that Jammeh after congratulating his main challenger, Adama Barrow who defeated him in the December 1, 2016 presidential election made a u-turn, saying he would not leave office.

He later picked holes in the election and called for fresh polls. But the development angered African regional Bodies such as the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, and the African Union, AU which are insisting that Jammeh must respect the constitution of the land and exit power as his tenure elapses on January 19, 2017 after 22 years of holding sway. Subsequently, ECOWAS in their meeting recently in Abuja, Nigeria reached a decision and appointed a mediatory committee headed by the Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari as the Chief Mediator and the outgoing President of Ghana, John Mahama who himself was defeated in an election held on December 10, 2016, a co-mediator.

To this end, President Buhari who is billed to attend the inauguration of Ghana’s President-Elect, Nana Akufo-Addo alongside other African leaders in Accra on Saturday would be leading the leaders to a crucial meeting on a final push to resolve the political impasse in The Gambia. The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu while speaking to Journalists in Abuja on Friday disclosed that the meeting of the African helmsmen would hold after the inauguration.

He said: “President Buhari and other African leaders will on Saturday be attending the inauguration of Nana Akufo-Addo as the President of Ghana. “Another important thing is that shortly after the inauguration, the leaders will be meeting on the crisis in The Gambia. “A major decision on the impasse is expected to be taken at that all-important meeting. “President Buhari is the Chief Mediator is the crisis and he is committed to ensuring that the logjam is resolved.”

Source: Vanguardngr