Former president of The Gambia, Yahya Jammeh, has spoken for the first time since it was confirmed he will be relinquishing power.
His decision followed peace moves by Conde and Mauritania’s President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz on Friday.
In a seven-minute state broadcast, Jammeh said he was committed to preserving the lives of citizens and avoid blood shed.
He said: “Fellow Gambians, my first preoccupation as president and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and a patriot is to preserve at every instance and in every circumstance, the lives of Gambians and this is a duty I hold sacrosanct.
“As a Muslim and as a patriot, I believe that it is not necessary that any blood be shed.
“It is as a result of this that I have decided today (Friday) in good conscience to relinquish the mantle of leadership of this great nation.”
New president of The Gambia, Adama Barrow confirmed on Friday, Jammeh has agreed to step down.
Barrow, who was sworn-in at the Gambian Embassy in Senegal on Thursday, announced this on his Twitter page on Friday.
“I would like to inform you that Yahya Jammeh has agreed to step down.
“He is scheduled to depart Gambia today.#NewGambia.”
Barrow defeated Jammeh in the presidential elections last month. But Jammeh has been reluctant to hand over power,despite initially conceding defeat .
Watch video below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRBHLE6wrB4
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