The Late 5: Buhari cautions ECOWAS against common currency, Senate launches investigation into ex-pension boss, Maina, and other top stories

President Buhari cautions against common currency for ECOWAS

President Muhamadu Buhari Tuesday, in Niamey, Republic of Niger, urged member countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to tread carefully in pushing for a single currency in the sub-region by 2020. He cited the challenges faced by the European Union in realising the same goal to buttress his position. The President made... Read More

common currency, ECOWAS, niamey, President Muhamadu Buhari

October 24, 2017

Buhari arrives Niger for ECOWAS meeting

President Muhammadu Buhari has arrived Niamey, the Republic of Niger for the meeting on common currency for the West African sub-region. Buhari left Nigeria on Tuesday morning to attend the meeting. The special adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina had earlier disclosed in a statement on Monday that “the Minister of Finance,... Read More

arrive, ECOWAS, Meeting, Niger, President Muhammadu Buhari

August 3, 2017

Rebuilding the Berlin Wall: How Europe’s anti-migration agenda threatens stability in Africa

by Mercy Abang On August 13, 1961, the Communist government of the German Democratic Republic built a wall between East and West Berlin. The intention of that action to build a wall was to keep “fascists” from entering East Germany but importantly, it stemmed mass defections from East to West Germany. In 1885, the... Read More

angela merkel, ECOWAS, Europe-Africa relations, Eurpean Union policies, Migration, opinion, The Berlin Wall

March 2, 2017

BREAKING: Buhari holds phone conversation with King Mohammed VI of Morocco

President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday held a phone conversation with King Mohammed VI of Morocco, a statement by the Royal Office has said. According to the statement, the King enquired about the health of president Buhari and voiced satisfaction at his noteworthy improvement. The leaders also talked about conclusions of the meeting held in Casablanca... Read More

African Union, ECOWAS, King Mohammed VI of Morocco, Phone conversation, President Muhammadu Buhari

February 9, 2017

ECOWAS troops to stay in Gambia for 3 additional months

West African troops will stay in Gambia for three more months as President Adama Barrow continues reforms in the army. In a statement released by Barrow’s office on Wednesday, it said the troops has its mandate extended by three months. The troops had entered Gambia after former President Yahya Jammeh refused to leave power despite... Read More

Adama Barrow, army, ECOWAS, Gambia, troops

January 30, 2017

West African troops recover weapons from Jammeh’s residence

Weapons have been discovered at the residence of former Gambian President Yahya Jammeh. The ECOWAS force said a top Gambian general was also arrested at the residence on Monday. Senegalese General Francois Ndiaye said the arms and ammunition were found in Jammeh’s residence in his home village of Kanilai. “All the weapons and ammunitions are... Read More

ECOWAS, residence, weapons, Yahya Jammeh

January 26, 2017

BREAKING: President Adama Barrow returns to Gambia

Gambian President Adama Barrow on Thursday arrived his country weeks after fleeing to neighbouring Senegal. Barrow had taken his oath of office in Dakar Senegal after for President Yahya Jammeh refused to leave power. Gambians came out in their multitudes to give Barrow a resounding welcome. Gambians wearing T-shirts with Barrow’s picture blew whistles, banged... Read More

Adama Barrow, arrive, ECOWAS, exile, Gambia, Swnegal, Yahya Jammeh

January 22, 2017

ECOWAS troops enter Gambia ahead of Adama Barrow’s arrival

ECOWAS troops have entered The Gambia to secure the tiny West African country ahead of President Adama Barrow’s arrival. This is after former President Yahya Jammeh agreed to step aside and travelled to Guinea where he would settle down with his family. A Senegalese General leading the troops said the army entered Gambia to “control... Read More

Adama Barrow, ECOWAS, Gambia, troops, Yahya Jammeh

January 22, 2017

This is the deal Yahya Jammeh signed before stepping down (READ)

The deal signed by former Gambian President, Yahya Jammeh before agreeing to step down has been revealed. According to SaharaReporters, the deal was brokered by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union (AU), the United Nations (UN) as well as Presidents Mohammed Ould Abdel Aziz of Mauritania and President Alpha Conde... Read More

Adama Barrow, AU, deal, ECOWAS, Gambia, UN, Yahya Jammeh

January 21, 2017

DELE MOMODU: A WEEK OF INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMACY

by Dele Momodu “Every person in Ghana, whatever his race, place of origin, political opinion, colour, religion, creed, or gender, shall be entitled to the fundamental human rights and freedoms of the individual contained in this chapter but subject to respect for the rights and freedoms of others and for public interest…” The Ghanaian Constitution,... Read More

Adama Barrow, Banjul, Dele Momodu, ECOWAS, Gambia, Ghana, nigeria, West Africa, Yahya Jammeh

ECOWAS, Gambia, President Muhammadu Buhari, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, Yayha Jammeh

Osinbajo briefed on situation in The Gambia

Acting president, Professor Yemi Osinbajo has been briefed about the situation in The Gambia. Special assistant to the Osinbaj on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande stated this on Friday evening via his Twitter account. He said, “VP Osinbajo on return to Abuja receives update and briefings on the situation in Gambia and also briefings from... Read More

Cover Stories, The News Blog

BREAKING: Jammeh accepts to step down – report

French news agency, France 24 reports that defeated leader of The Gambia, Yayha Jammeh has agreed to leave office. According to Nicolas Germain, a France 24 journalist, who specialises in African news said Jammeh is currently writing a statement in the presence of Guinean officials. Guinean officials tell @FRANCE24 that Jammeh currently writing statement where he accepts... Read More

Adama Barrow, ECOWAS, France 24, Nicolas Germain, The Gambia, Yayha Jammeh

Gambia: We will welcome ECOWAS soldiers with “cup of tea” – Army Chief

Gambia’s army chief General Ousman Badjie has said that his men will not engage ECOWAS troops in a battle. Badjie said this on Friday while speaking to Reuters, stating that he recognised new President Adama Barrow as the new commander-and-chief and would not fight a regional force poised to depose Yahya Jammeh, who has refused... Read More

Cover Stories, The News Blog

Adama Barrow, ECOWAS, General Ousman Badjie, The Gambia, Yayha Jammeh

Gambia: Sirleaf, Conde arrive Banjul to convince Jammeh to step down

Presidents of Liberia and Guinea, Ellen Sirleaf and Alpha Conde arrived Banjul, capital of Gambia to hold last minute talks with Yayha Jammeh to convince him to step down. ECOWAS gave Jammeh a noon deadline to vacate office. Jammeh on Friday asked for an extension of the deadline to 4pm. Adama Barrow was sworn in... Read More

Adama Barrow, Alpha Conde, ECOWAS, Ellen Sirleaf, Gambia, Yayha Jammeh

BREAKING: Jammeh asks ECOWAS to extend noon deadline

Gambia’s former president Yahya Jammeh has asked ECOWAS for an extension of the deadline given to him to vacate office from noon to 4 pm local time, Reuters reported on Friday. On Friday Jammeh sacked all his ministers, saying he will rule alone. On Thursday Senegalese forces entered the Gambia hours after the winner of... Read More

Adama Barrow, deadline, ECOWAS, Extension, Yayha Jammeh

Okeoma Ibe: Why ECOWAS must not relent in showing Jammeh out

by Okeoma Ibe There are several reasons why the West African regional grouping ECOWAS should not allow Yahyah Jammeh to stay in office beyond January 19, but three stand out – a bad precedent, violation of the will of the majority of the Gambian people and violation of regional norms and standards. Gambian dictator, Yahya... Read More

Adama Barrow, African democracy, ECOWAS, Gambia, Jammeh, nigeria, opinion

ECOWAS gives Jammeh till noon, suspends military actions

ECOWAS has given former President of Gambia, Yahya Jammeh one last chance to leave Banjul. West African troops who have already crossed the border were ordered to halt till noon on Friday when Jammeh’s deadline elapses. “We think that up until the last minute there is still a solution through dialogue,” said Marcel de Souza,... Read More

deadline, ECOWAS, Gambia, Military actions, suspend, Yahya Jammeh

Today’s Noisemakers: Donald Trump, ECOWAS, Premium Times, frustrated MMM participant and others

Every day on the Nigerian internet, there are people who keep our eyes glued to our phone screens as we read their rants, opinions, perspectives on political and social matters, etc. They range from the awesome and brilliant to the OMG, he didn’t. We have made it our job to take down the names of... Read More

Buhari, donald trump, ECOWAS, frustrated MMM participant, nigeria, noisemakers, Premium Times

The Thread: Adama Barrow, president of The Gambia

Adama Barrow has been sworn in as the President of Gambia, meaning that Jammeh has no place in the country, except as a citizen, even though he still has not left the state house. Do see below: https://twitter.com/adama_barrow/status/822121501272981510 The Gambian Navy Led by Rear Admiral Sarjo Fofana, have abandoned Jammeh. allegiance will be passed to... Read More

Barrow, ECOWAS, Gambia, Jammeh, nigeria, The Thread

Opinion: Rumble in the Gambia

by Ogbonna Nwuke The Gambia shouldn’t be at the centre of global attention. But it is. Thanks to the intransigence of a man who has been in power for too long, the tiny African country is in the spotlight. At stake is the future of democracy in the Gambia and the refusal of Yahya Jammeh,... Read More

ECOWAS, Gambia, military intervention, Muhammadu Buhari, nigeria

Yahya Jammeh’s lawyer flees to Senegal, advises him to step down

Edward Anthony Gomez, lawyer to Gambian dictator, Yahya Jammeh has fled to Senegal, advising Jammeh to hand over power. Gomez in a letter dated January 17 said he took the decision to flee with his son after being coerced to be part of President Jammeh’s plot to cling to power. He advised Jammeh to respect... Read More

Adama Barrow, ECOWAS, Gambia, lawyer, Yahya Jammeh

Olusegun Adeniyi: The endgame in Banjul

by Olusegun Adeniyi Last Friday, leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) demonstrated an uncommon resolve when, following their meeting with a recalcitrant Yahya Jammeh, they asked Mr Adama Barrow to move with the Liberian President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to Monrovia. It was from the Liberian capital, according to an impeccable source,... Read More

AU, ECOWAS, Jammeh, military intervention, nigeria, Olusegun Adeniyi, president buhari, President Small, The Gambia

‘We won’t engage ECOWAS troops’, Gambia’s army chief

Senegalese and Nigerian troops are already at the border of The Gambia as President Yahya Jammeh has refused to vacate office as his tenure ended midnight. Mauritanian President has also left the country after a last-minute attempt to prevail on Jammeh to relinquish proved abortive. However, Gambia’s army chief has said his soldiers will not... Read More

Adama Barrow, army, ECOWAS, Gambia, troops, Yahya Jammeh

Timeline: Yahya Jammeh, the disaster waiting to happen

Since losing his re-election bid on December 1, 2016, President of Gambia, Yayha Jammeh has been in the news daily. Jammeh who has ruled the tiny West African since 1994 was defeated in the election by Adama Barrow, but has refused to accept defeat nor step down at the expiration of his tenure on Thursday, January... Read More

Thinking Through

Adama Barrow, African Union, ECOWAS, Gambia, timeline, Yayha Jammeh

Opinion: Jammeh’s Defiance, ECOWAS Mistake and Buhari’s Bad Example

by Jude Ndukwe As it is now, The Gambia is under emergency rule as declared by its president of 22 years, Yahya Jammeh. The emergency rule has become necessary in the estimation of Jammeh, following his decision to challenge the outcome of the country’s December 1, 2016 election in which Adama Barrow was declared winner.... Read More

Buhari, democracy, ECOWAS, Gambia, Jammeh, nigeria

January 18, 2017

YNaija Analysis: Dear Pres. Jammeh, Africa has no time for your shenanigans

by Mark Amaza When Gambians went to the polls early December 2016 to choose between their long-time leader Yahya Jammeh and opposition candidate Adama Barrow, the whole world had already concluded that Jammeh was going to use every trick in the playbook to extend his 22-year rule in the small West African nation. After all,... Read More

Opinion, Thinking Through

Adama Barrow, africa, Dictator, ECOWAS, Gambia, Goodluck Jonathan, Laureant Gbagbo, Military, Muhammadu Buhari, Yahya Jammeh

January 18, 2017

Gambia: Yahya Jammeh reportedly preparing to flee (PHOTOS)

Embattled Gambian President, Yahya Jammeh has reportedly ordered the clearance of the airport as he plans to flee the country. According to SaharaReporters, Jammeh ordered that all security officers and NIA officers vacate the airport while his jet has been prepared. The Gambian President whose tenure ends on Thursday has said he would not handover... Read More

Adama Barrow, ECOWAS, flee, Gambia, Yahya Jammeh

January 17, 2017

‘Jammeh: Nigeria’s warship sailing towards Gambia for military actions’

The NNS Unity, a warship belonging to Nigeria is sailing towards Gambia in preparation for military actions, if President Yahya Jammeh refuses to relinquish power on Thursday, BBC reports. According to BBC, a top military source said the vessel left Lagos and is currently sailing off the coast of Ghana. It has been learnt that... Read More

Cover Stories, The News Blog

ECOWAS, Gambia, NNS UNITY, Yahya Jammeh

January 17, 2017

4 Gambian ministers resign from Jammeh’s government

Four ministers under the government of Gambian President have resigned, according to report on Tuesday. Gambia’s Ministers of Finance, Foreign Affairs, Trade and Environment have left their positions as regional forces get set to remove Jammeh from power unless he steps down by Thursday. Jammeh has been in power in the tiny West African country... Read More