Former President of Gambia, Alhaji Yahya Jammeh, has left Banjul, to begin life in exile. He left just after 10.00pm for Conakry, along with President Alpha Conde.
Jammeh was given a full ceremonial honour by the military brass band and a red carpet treatment. According to a journalist who witnessed the departure, some of his aides wept openly on the tarmac, while “others outside are still celebrating”.
At the time of filing this report, Jammeh has landed in Malabo, capital of Equatorial Guinea to begin a life in exile.
His departure was confirmed by President Adama Barrow, now waiting in Dakar, Senegal to return home and start his government of ‘inclusiveness’ and transparency as he promised on Saturday.
“I would like to inform you that the 2nd President of the Republic of The Gambia, Yahya Jammeh has left Gambia. #Gambia“, Barrow tweeted at about 10pm Nigerian time.
His exit ends rising tension as thousands of troops from Senegal and Nigeria who entered the tiny country on Thursday were poised to swoop on the capital Banjul.
It also paves the way for the return home of Barrow, who was sworn in as leader at the Gambian embassy in Senegal on Thursday.
NO DEAL ON AMNESTY
Jammeh demanded amnesty, the right to go to and from Gambia and recognition for his political party as a price for leaving. But no deal on amnesty was finalized and de Souza said he would be surprised if one was struck.
Jammeh was accompanied onto the plane by Guinean President Alpha Conde, who mediated the terms of his exit with Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz and others. A separate plane would take out his family and aides, diplomats said.
Some Gambians said they had feared Jammeh might change his mind at the last moment. He conceded defeat to Barrow but backtracked a week later. Others said they were angry he was able to negotiate at all.
“He’s a stubborn man. It should be surrender, handcuffs or death,” said Patience Williams, 50, a dental nurse.
In a last bid to cling to power, Jammeh declared a state of emergency this week and dissolved the cabinet while the National Assembly extended his term for three months. More than half the government resigned, and 45,000 people fled to Senegal.
