Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, The Gambia) – Supporters of former President Yahya Jammeh on Monday issued a press statement declaring that the ex-leader wishes to return to The Gambia as an “ordinary citizen and former head of state,” insisting he seeks no political confrontation or power.
The statement, delivered by Hon. Momodou Yafye Tamba on behalf of Jammeh, said the former president, who has lived in Equatorial Guinea since January 2017 after losing the 2016 election and initially refusing to step down, wants to come home “in peace and with dignity.”
According to Tamba, letters requesting assistance and security guarantees have already been sent to President Adama Barrow, the Speaker of the National Assembly, ECOWAS, the African Union, and the United Nations to facilitate a safe return.
Jammeh’s camp argues that he is protected under the 1997 Constitution and the Former Presidents Act.
It further maintains that commissions of inquiry, including the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC), “are not courts and cannot convict anyone.”
The statement insists Jammeh must be presumed innocent until tried in a competent court, adding that he was never given an opportunity to respond to allegations made at the TRRC.
Tamba referenced a related case filed at the ECOWAS Community Court by former judges Justices Emmanuel Agim and Joseph Wowo, who similarly claim their rights were violated by post-Jammeh-era inquiries. Jammeh, he said, is awaiting the outcome of that case before making further legal moves.
The statement also pointed to the ongoing National Assembly review of the Janneh Commission’s findings on Jammeh’s finances, arguing that no one should draw conclusions until lawmakers complete their work.
ECOWAS has long regarded Jammeh’s 22-year regime as autocratic, marked by enforced disappearances, arbitrary detentions, extrajudicial killings, sexual violence, and repression.
When Jammeh rejected the 2016 election results, the regional bloc condemned his stance as a democratic threat and deployed roughly 7,000 troops under Operation Restore Democracy to enforce the transition. He left for exile under that pressure.
More recently, in December 2024, ECOWAS approved the creation of a special hybrid tribunal with The Gambia to prosecute crimes committed during Jammeh’s rule, a landmark step expected to complicate Equatorial Guinea’s ability to continue shielding him.
Tamba, however, denounced what he called “selective outrage,” questioning why Jammeh’s potential return is viewed as a threat while the government welcomes foreign figures he described as controversial, citing former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Quoting both the Qur’an and the Bible, Tamba appealed for peace, justice, and an end to what he termed hypocrisy.
He said Jammeh’s supporters plan to formally request a meeting with President Barrow, apply for permits for peaceful gatherings, and invite ECOWAS, AU, and UN observers to monitor their activities.
Tamba concluded by saying Jammeh “will respect the law” and does not seek any conflict, urging Gambians to “choose justice over revenge” as the debate over his possible return intensifies.
