Nigeria may grant Gambian president Yahya Jammeh asylum

The House of Representatives Thursday will debate granting an asylum to the president of the Gambia Yahya Jammeh if he agrees to step down,the spokesman of the House, Abdulrazak Namdas said.
Jammeh lost reelection to opposition candidate Adama Barrow after ruling for 22 years. He rejected the election results “in totality” a week after conceding defeat, putting the country at the risk of a political crisis.

“In the same way that I accepted the results faithfully believing that the Independent Electoral Commission was independent and honest and reliable, I hereby reject the results in totality,” he said in a statement broadcast on state television.

“Let me repeat: I will not accept the results based on what has happened,” he said, condemning “unacceptable errors” on the part of electoral authorities and calling for a new vote.

Hearing in a petition he filed to challenge the results was postponed till January 16 by the country’s Supreme Court for lack quorum.

The court’s registrar said: “the case has been adjourned until January 16, since only one of the required minimum of five judges is present.”

Nigerian lawmakers willingness to debate asylum whether the Gambian strongman should be granted asylum is line with the appointment of President Muhammadu Buhari as the chief mediator. But it remains unclear if Jammeh, who has been railing against ECOWAS’ bid to resolve the logjam, would accept the deal.

Source: Guardian