Who Are You? – Jammeh Responds To Leaders Urging Him To Hand-over

BEVERLY HILLS, December 21, (THEWILL) – The Gambian President, Yahya Jammeh, has fired shots at regional and international mediators urging him to step down and concede defeat saying he will not be intimidated.

In a 45-minute speech at the African Bar Association on Tuesday night, Jammeh defended his position, saying West African leaders had violated the ECOWAS principle of non-interference.

“Who are they to tell me to leave my country?” he said during his televised speech.

“I will not be intimidated by any power in this world. I want to make sure justice is done.

“I'm a man of peace, but I cannot also be a coward. I am a man of peace but that does not also mean that I will not defend myself and defend my country and defend my country courageously, patriotically and win.”

Jammeh had earlier conceded defeat in the election but made a U-turn a week later, asking for fresh polls to be conducted.

His decision not to accept the result led to condemnation worldwide including from the UN, the US and ECOWAS, whose leaders, Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari and Presidents Ernest Koroma, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and John Mahama of Sierra Leone, Liberia and Ghana respectively visited him.

Although, details of the talks were not made public, Jammeh launched a court action to annul the vote after the electoral commission changed some results and took over the electoral office.

Story by Oputah David