President Muhammadu Buhari has
expressed disappointment that leaders of the Economic Community of West African
States (ECOWAS) had to use `strong-arm tactics’ to get former Gambian President
Yahya Jammeh out of office.
Jammeh, who re-contested Gambia’s
presidential election on Dec. 1, 2016, had refused to step aside even after
failing to win the re-election.
President Buhari, who stated this
when he received the visiting Gambian President, Mr Adama Barrow, at the
Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Tuesday, said Nigeria and the ECOWAS had no
option left than using the unpopular tactics.
“We had to go through those
actions because it was the only option for Nigeria and ECOWAS,’’ the President
told Mr. Adama Barrow, the President of the Gambia who succeeded Jammeh.
President Buhari recalled that in
spite of all entreaties, the former President refused to accept the outcome of
the election he superintended which was widely accepted as credible.
He said: “We thank God for the
role He allowed us to play in the Gambia.
“We believe in multi-party
democracy. In Africa, it is absolutely necessary but for the system to work and
one to come out of it clean, there is need for patience.
‘‘Patience on the part of leaders
is also necessary in view of ethnic and religious diversities that prevail.
Leaders must be patient, hardworking and resourceful.’’
President Buhari counselled that
if African countries could get the institutional structures of democracy
working properly, the continent would emerge from the process of development
successfully.
He urged the Gambian leader to
uphold the legacy of free and fair elections, which he described as the biggest
guarantee for democracy.
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While comparing experiences with
the new leader of the Gambia, the Nigerian leader said one of the biggest
challenges facing Nigeria was unemployment.
“Sixty per cent of the 180
million people are under 25 years. They all wish for a secure future. Those of
them who are educated feel they are more qualified for employment.
“We have studied the problem and
are doing our best to stabilize the situation.
‘‘We took over from a party that
had been in power for 16 years. During those years, the country earned an
unprecedented amount of money as revenue, never seen at any time before,” he
stated.
The President announced that
representatives of both countries will deliberate and advise the leaders on how
best to strengthen the existing level of cooperation between the two states.
In his remarks, President Barrow
said he came to thank Nigeria and its leader in person for ensuring the
completion of the democratic process in his country, which had stalled back
then following the refusal of Jammeh to accept the election results.
The Gambian leader said his
country received the support of Nigeria in many spheres, citing education,
administration, justice and security sectors and requested President Buhari to
continue to be of assistance.
“We will never forget Nigeria for
the help it has rendered to us since independence,” the visiting Gambian leader
said.
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