The UN Security Council has asked outgoing Gambian President Yahya Jammeh to carry out a peaceful and orderly transition of power to the President-elect, Mr Adama Barrow.

In a press statement issued on Saturday, the 15-member Council “strongly condemned the outgoing Gambian President’s rejection of the official election results proclaimed by the country’s Independent Electoral Commission”.

The Council asked Jammeh “to respect the choice of the sovereign people of Gambia, as he did on Dec. 2, and to transfer, without condition and undue delay, power to the President-elect, Mr. Adama Barrow.”

It also urged all parties to exercise maximum restraint, refrain from violence and remain calm, and requested that the security of Barrow and that of all Gambians be fully ensured.

The Council also called on the support by the UN Office for West Africa (UNOWAS) and international partners, especially the ECOWAS, to preserve stability in the Gambia and work towards the installation of a democratically elected government in the country.

The Council members also commended the Gambian people for the peaceful and transparent conduct of elections on Dec. 2, and expressed their commitment to continue to closely follow the evolution of the situation in the country.

The Security Council recalled the relevant provisions of Article 23 (4) of the AU Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance.

It further called on Jammeh to respect the ECOWAS protocol on democracy and good governance and the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, notably the rejection of unconstitutional changes of Government. (NAN)

•Adapted from Business Day SA. Photo shows Tony Elumelu.

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