Gambia's Barrow wins presidential election

 

Adama Barrow is declared winner by electoral commission after Saturday's crucial polls for the young African democracy.

Supporters of Adama Barrow celebrate in capital Banjul ahead of his victory in presidential race. (Reuters)

Adama Barrow has been declared the winner of Gambia's presidential election by the electoral commission, winning a second term in office in the tiny West African nation.

Chairman of the commission, Alieu Momarr Njai, declared Barrow the winner after announcing the final results on Sunday to journalists.

Barrow received around 53 percent of Saturday's vote, far outstripping his nearest rival, political veteran Ousainou Darboe, who won about 28 percent.

Darboe and two other candidates rejected the results because of unspecified irregularities, saying in a joint statement: "All actions are on table."

Saturday's vote was the first in 27 years without disgraced former president Yahya Jammeh, who lives in exile in Equatorial Guinea after refusing to accept defeat to Barrow in 2016.

Jammeh, whose 22-year rule over the tiny nation of 2.5 million people was characterised by killings and torture of political opponents, had tried to persuade supporters to vote for an opposition coalition in telephoned speeches that were relayed to campaign rallies.

 

 

The election was seen as a test of Gambia's democratic progress and its ability to leave the Jammeh era behind.

Barrow's first term was marked by the coronavirus pandemic, which damaged an economy that relies heavily on tourism, as well as exports of peanuts and fish.

Source: TRTWorld and agencies 

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(With input from news agency language)

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