The presidents of Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Liberia were scheduled to visit Gambian President Yahya Jammeh today in a second attempt to press him to hand over power, but that has been postponed to Friday. Jammeh, in power since a 1994 coup, lost a December first 2016 election to businessman Adama Barrow, but the authoritarian leader has contested the results in a move condemned at home and abroad. An ECOWAS delegation led by Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf visited Gambia in December but failed to persuade Jammeh to step down. The West African bloc has since said it would take all necessary steps to uphold the result of the election and had put troops on standby. To help us understand what’ going on in the Gambia we are joined on the line by:
Jeggan- Grey Johnson: Communications and Advocacy officer with the Africa Governance, Monitoring and Advocacy Project which is supported by the Africa Foundations of the Open Society Foundations.
Brian T. Neubert: Director of the United States Department of Regional Media Hub here in Johannesburg
Peter Nkanga: Committee to Protect Journalists from West Africa Representative
