Reps Offer Gambia President, Jammeh 'Priceless Lifeline' to End Political Impasse in His Country

 

The House of Representatives on Thursday expressed Nigeria’s readiness to offer President Yahya Jammeh of the Gambia asylum as a possible solution to the looming political crisis in the small West African country, Punch reports.

 

According to the report, the reps promised Jammeh that Nigeria would be a 'safe haven'. Also, the House called on President Muhammadu Buhari to make this offer to Jammeh as part of the ongoing efforts by leaders of the West African sub-regional group, ECOWAS, to end the stalemate in the Gambia.

 

President Buhari who is already int he could to meet with Jammeh and other African leaders in Banjul over a resolution to the political conflict.

 

The motion, which led to the resolution, was moved by a member from Jigawa State, Mr. Sani Zoro. He recalled how Nigeria in the past extended a similar gesture to former presidents like “Felix Malloum of Chad; Siad Barre of Somalia; Thabo Mbeki of the African National Congress; Messrs Charles Taylor and Yomi Johnson of Liberia and several other leaders.”

 

Lawmakers described the asylum offer as a “cheaper” option to allowing a political crisis to explode in the Gambia