Yahya Jammeh 'agrees to step down and leave' The Gambia

Former President of Gambia Yahya Jammeh has agreed to step down and leave the country after mediators spent hours to convince him to relinquish power.

New Gambian President Adama Barrow confirmed on Friday evening via his Twitter account and later deleted.

“I would like to inform you that Yaya Jammeh agreed to relinquish power and leave the country,” it was tweeted earlier.

A close aide of Barrow, Mai Ahmad Fatty confirmed to journalists in Banjul that Jammeh has agreed to step down.

A close aide to President Adama Barrow, Mai Fatty has confirmed to me that Yahyah Jammeh has agreed to step down. #Gambia.

— Umaru Fofana (@UmaruFofana) January 20, 2017

Gambia’s army chief Ousman Badjie and the Inspector General of Police Yankuba Sonko had earlier in the day pledged allegiance to Barrow.

A final mediation effort on Friday led by Guinea’s President Alpha Conde and Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz dragged through the deadline given by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to take military action.

ECOWAS halted a joint military operation on Thursday for the final mediation and said if it was successful, Jammeh will travel to Guinea and then choose a country of exile while the possibility of amnesty is still open.

The details of his acceptance to step down and leave the country is yet to be disclosed.