Gambia: I've filed injunction to stop Adama Barrow from being sworn in - Jammeh

Gambia's President Yahyah Jammeh on Sunday night announced on state radio and TV that he has filed an injunction to restrain President-elect Adama Barrow from being sworn in by the chief justice or any other party.

Jammeh added that he has spoken to the head of ECOWAS and Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf to facilitate the availability of Supreme Court Judges to look into his election petition.


"I have confirmed that we have filed an application for an injunction to restrict Mr Adama Barrow from being sworn in as well as restricting the chief justice and any other parties from swearing in Mr Adama Barrow until the application is decided by the supreme court of Gambia, Mr Jammeh said.

And until then, the status quo remains."

Mr. Jammeh has made it clear he will not stand aside until the country’s Supreme Court decides on his legal challenge seeking to annul the results of last month’s polls, which he initially conceded losing.

The country’s Chief Justice announced this week that the matter could only be looked into in March since Nigerian and Sierra Leoneans judges expected to start sitting on the matter on 10 January did not show up.

The Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS), a 15-nation bloc, has repeatedly called on Mr. Jammeh to respect the result of the vote that delivered Mr. Barrow victory, and step down after 22 years in power.

President Jammeh’s term ends on Thursday.

A Nigerian army memo has ordered officers to prepare a battalion of 800 troops for the possible military intervention, should Mr Jammeh refuse to step down.