Gambia Decides: President Jammeh loses election to former security guard, Adama Barrow, after 22 years in power

                         

Adama Narrow (pictured right) has been declared winner of Gambia Presidential
election after defeating President Yahya Jammeh, who has been in power
since 1994.


Adama garnered who was a former security guard 263,515 votes while Jammeh won
212,090 votes, Alieu Momar Njie, head of electoral commission announced
in the capital Banjul on Friday.

Barrow,
a property developer, will become the country's third head of state
since independence in 1962. He once worked as a security guard at a
branch of Argos in London.



Mr Jammeh, who came to power in 1994,
as a 29-year-old army officer following a military has agreed to accept
defeat later today, said Alieu Momarr Njie. A video of his speech has
already been recorded and is being edited.



Before announcing the final result, Mr Njie appealed for calm as the country entered unchartered waters.


"It was very unique that Jammeh would accept defeat after controlling the Gambia for so long," Njie said.

Jammeh
had cut off the internet and international phone calls before the
polls  He also banned protests and refused to comment on whether he
would concede if he lost.

Gambia has banned the internet, international phone calls and any form of demonstrations, as their presidential election holds today. A former security guard, Adama Barrow (Right) is challenging the President, Yahya Jammeh (Left), who is seeking a fifth term.. That is, to continue his 22 year rule...



Jammeh seized power during a 1994 military coup and has been labelled an Islamist autocrat, with Human Rights groups accusing him of abuses and repression of opposition.

Mr Barrow, who was once a security guard in UK high street store, Argos, gained a lot of support from those opposing the President. "He is leading the most credible challenge to Mr Jammeh’s power since his 1994 military coup," BBC Africa reports. Several previously better-known opposition leaders are in jail after taking part in a rare protest in April.

The results of the election are not expected to be announced immediately. President Jammeh has also warned his rivals against contesting the outcome of the vote. "Our election system is fraud-proof, rig-proof, you cannot rig our elections," he said. "There is no reason that anybody should demonstrate. Demonstrations are the loopholes that are used to destabilize African governments.''

Barrow, on the other hand, told the BBC that Gambians had been suffering for 22 years and now was the time for change.
 "Voters know that I am genuine and ready for change and that's why they should trust me," Mr Barrow said.