By Alhagie Jobe: Emmanuel Fagbenle, the Chief Justice of The Gambia has adjourned the bogus election results petition case of Yahya Jammeh and his APRC party saying there are no judges to constitute the panel that is needed to hear the petition.
He announced that the Nigerian and Sierra Leanean hired judges who where supposed to travel in the country would not come until May 2017, insisting that without a full panel, there cannot be any proceeding on the petition case file.
Chief Justice Fagbenle recommended to Outgoing President Jammeh and his APRC party election petitioners to embrace the offer by the sub-regional bloc, ECOWAS, to peacefully solve the political deadlock.
“Parties should consider alternative resolution of the political conflict through Ecowas or the committee of political parties. Gambia should not be a place where peace cannot be found. All men of good will, all peace loving and God fearing should assist the Gambia at the time of need” he said.
Chief Justice Fagbenle warned outgoing President Yahya Jammeh and his APRC petitioners that they should not expect any changes in position that he cannot hear the case without a full panel of judges insisting that the Nigerian judges are not travelling into the country until May 2017.
Meanwhile, Lawyer Edward Gomez who represents Yahya Jammeh and his APRC’s is very upset and disappointed with the Chief Justice decision.
You may recalled that The Gambia went to the polls on December 1st, 2016 in which incumbent President Yahya Jammeh conceded defeat, congratulated President-elect Adama Barrow but later made a U-turn, rejecting the results and calling the results ‘null and void’.
Mr Jammeh and his APRC Party has since filed a petition at the Supreme Court and last month, the court mentioned the petition case but without enough sitting judges, the case was adjourned until today, January 10th, 2017.
The case resumes on Monday, January 16th, 2017.
