West Africa's regional bloc ECOWAS must ensure The Gambia's President Yahya Jammeh steps down because he lost an election, the bloc's chairwoman has said.

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia, the chair of the Economic Community of West African States, urged the leaders at the bloc's summit in the Nigerian capital of Abuja on Saturday to decide "measures to bring this matter to successful conclusion before January 19", when Jammeh's mandate expires.

She did not elaborate on what measures the bloc would take, but they could include sanctions.

Jammeh's 22 years in power have been marked by allegations of human rights abuses and repression against perceived political opponents.

He lost a December 1 election to little-known challenger Adama Barrow.

Initially, he conceded defeat but rejected the results later, calling for a fresh vote.

Gambian security forces seized the country's Independent Electoral Commission earlier this week. His party is now challenging the result in The Gambia's Supreme Court.

On Friday, Marcel de Souza, the bloc's president, said a military intervention must be considered if diplomacy failed to persuade Jammeh to step down.

READ MORE: Gambia's Jammeh rejects result of presidential election

Ebrima Sall, a Gambian senior social scientist, told Al Jazeera the business community, religious leaders and bar association have been calling on Jammeh to step down.

"Everybody is now speaking out," said Sall. "They have overcome the fear that was there and they are all calling upon him to leave and accept the verdict. They know the majority wants him to leave. Otherwise, he will be even more isolated internally, let alone internationally."

The United Nations, the United States and leading West African countries have condemned him. </s> Gambian President Yahya Jammeh has accused the West African regional bloc ECOWAS of declaring war after demanding that he stand down following his defeat at the ballot box.

Regional leaders warned last month that the 15-member ECOWAS would “take all necessary action to enforce the results” of the December 1 poll.

Jammeh retorted in a New Year’s speech on Saturday night that the ECOWAS summit decision was “totally illegal” as it violated the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of member states.

“It is in effect a declaration of war and an insult to our constitution. It is therefore absolutely unacceptable,” said Jammeh.

“Let me make very clear that we are ready to defend the country against any aggression and there will be no compromise on this.”

Opposition leader Adama Barrow was declared the winner of the ballot in the former British colony and Jammeh — in power for 22 years — initially conceded defeat.

But he reversed his decision a week later, condemning “unacceptable errors” by election authorities and calling for a new election.

The Gambia’s top court said last month it was adjourning until January 10 a case filed by Jammeh to annul the vote results.

Jammeh’s stance has stoked international concerns about the future of the small west African country, with the UN joining African leaders in calling for him to allow Barrow to take the oath of office as scheduled on January 19.

But the 51-year-old strongman has remained defiant.

“Given the unjustifiable and unprecedented anomalies… what we are simply and rightfully asking for is to return to the polls and allow the Gambians to elect who they want to be their president in free and fair elections,” he said Saturday. </s> A mediation mission by West African regional bloc ECOWAS to Gambia has been delayed from Wednesday until Friday, the grouping said in a statement on Tuesday.

Gambia is locked in political crisis after President Yahya Jammeh refused to accept his defeat in a Dec. 1 election by opposition candidate Adama Barrow.

The standoff prompted an ECOWAS delegation led by Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to intervene to try to ensure a peaceful transition of power in the tiny West African country. </s> A delegation of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) led by Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari and Ghana’s John Mahama has failed to resolve the political impasse in The Gambia.

Incumbent President, Yahya Jammeh lost the presidential elections on December 1 to Adama Barrow and initially conceded defeat. Less than a week later, Jammeh insisted that the elections were fraught with irregularities and said he would stay in power.

Efforts to resolve the political tussle at the supreme court have proved pointless, largely because Gambia’s Supreme court does not have enough justices. The ECOWAS delegation which included Liberian President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf were unable to extract firm promises from Jammeh in two meetings.

It means that ECOWAS may resort to military intervention, an approach which the organisation has shied away from. </s> Regional West African leaders on Saturday said The Gambia's President Yahya Jammeh must step down next month when his term runs out, just over a week after he challenged the result of an election in which he had already conceded defeat.

"The Authority calls on President Yahya Jammeh to accept the result of the polls and refrain from any act likely to compromise the transition and peaceful transfer of power to the president-elect," they said.

The summit vowed "to take all necessary action to enforce the results" of the December 1 poll, without spelling out what the measures would be.

Opposition leader Adama Barrow was declared the winner of the presidential ballot and Jammeh initially conceded defeat, only to reverse his decision a week later, condemning "unacceptable errors" by election authorities and calling for a new vote.

The summit in Abuja was attended by 11 heads of state but without the leaders of four members including The Gambia.

Earlier, Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who is also Ecowas chairwoman, said Jammeh's reversal "threatened peace", calling on him in a statement on December 10 "do the right thing and take actions to facilitate a smooth and peaceful transition in The Gambia".

"It is now important that the Authority, at this summit, considers recommended measures to bring this matter to successful conclusion before January 19, the constituted date when the mandate of the incumbent president expires," she told the summit.

"The UN remains concerned by some of the worrisome developments that occurred during the post-election period in The Gambia," Chambas said after the opening of the summit.

These included "in particular, the seizure of the headquarters of the Independent Electoral Commission by the Gambian military," he added.

The summit also appointed Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari and Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama to mediate in the dispute and report back to the regional grouping.

The situation has been further complicated by Jammeh's political party filing a legal challenge against the result at the Supreme Court.

The African Union, the UN, local and international rights groups have asked Jammeh — who has been in power for 22 years — to step down.

Ahead of the Ecowas summit, around 200 politicians, human rights activists and Gambian diaspora figures gathered in Dakar, capital of Senegal on Saturday to call for a peaceful transition of power in Gambia.

"We ask Ecowas and the international community to ensure this choice is respected and to do all they can so that the democratic transition is not impeded," said a joint statement by Amnesty International, Article 19 and RADDHO rights groups. </s> Gambian leader, Yahya Jammeh, has accused the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, of declaring war against his country for refusing to step down. Jammeh, who chided ECOWAS for putting forces on the alert, has vowed to stay in power despite losing a December 1 election to rival, Adama Barrow. Recall that Marcel de […] </s> Gambian leader, Yahya Jammeh, has accused West African regional body, the Economic Community of West African States, of declaring war against his country for refusal to step down at the end of his mandate this month.

 Jammeh, who accused ECOWAS of putting forces on the alert in case he refused to step down, has vowed to stay in power despite losing a December 1 election to rival, Adama Barrow.

 He also promised to defend Gambia against any outside aggression.

 This was contained in a New Year speech broadcast on state TV.

 The veteran leader initially conceded defeat in the vote, then changed his mind days later – raising fears that regional powers might have to intervene to oust him.

 His mandate runs out on January 19.

 Marcel de Souza, the President for the Economic Community of West African States Commission, said last week that the body had put standby forces on alert.

 In his speech, Jammeh decried “the resolution of ECOWAS on the current situation to implement the results of December 1, 2016 presidential election by whatever means possible”.

 He apparently acknowledged again that the poll did not go in his favour.

 Jammeh added: “It is in effect a declaration of war and an insult to our constitution.

 “Let me make it very clear that we are ready to defend this country against any aggression.

 “My government will never opt for such confrontation but defending our sovereignty is a sacred duty for all patriotic Gambians.”

 Barrow’s surprise victory and Jammeh’s initial decision to concede after 22 years in power was initially seen as a moment of hope on a continent where autocratic leaders are becoming more entrenched.

 Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has stepped in as an ECOWAS mediator to offer Jammeh an “honorable exit”, but Jammeh said the bloc could no longer fulfill that role.

 The United Nations had in December mandated Buhari and other leaders of ECOWAS to flush out Jammeh in case he refuses to step down.

 Buhari, President John Mahama of Ghana and President Ellen Sirleaf-Johnson had also last month travelled to Gambia to mediate in the crisis.

 Jammeh refused the entreaties to step down, leading to the announcement of the composition of a force by ECOWAS to flush him out.

 Reuters/NAN.

Copyright The Eagle Online.

 Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to www.theeagleonline.com.ng as the source. </s> Gambian leader, Yahya Jammeh has accused West African regional body, ECOWAS, of declaring war against his country because they asked him to step down for a democratically elected president.

He also accused ECOWAS of putting forces on alert in case he refused to step down, has vowed to stay in power despite losing a December 1 election to rival Adama Barrow.

He also promised to defend Gambia against any outside aggression, in a New Year speech broadcast on state TV.

It was earlier earlier reported how President Muhammadu Buhari led other West African leaders to meet with Jammeh and Barrow. Apart from Mr. Buhari, the ECOWAS delegation also had Presidents Ernest Koroma, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and John Mahama of Sierra Leone, Liberia and Ghana respectively.

The leaders appealed to Mr. Jammeh to leave office and also reportedly sought a ‘honourable exit’ for him that would ensure he is not tried for various human rights crimes he is alleged to have committed while in office.

Marcel de Souza, the ECOWAS Commission president, said last week that the body had put standby forces on alert.

In his speech on New Year Day, Mr. Jammeh decried “the resolution of ECOWAS on the current situation to implement the results of December 1, 2016 presidential election by whatever means possible.”

Mr. Buhari has stepped in as an ECOWAS mediator to offer Mr. Jammeh an “honourable exit”, but the latter said the bloc could no longer fulfil that </s> Gambian leader, Yahya Jammeh, has accused West African regional body, ECOWAS, of declaring war against his country for refusal to step down at the end of his mandate this month. Jammeh, who accused ECOWAS of putting forces on alert in case he refused to step down, has vowed to stay in power despite losing a Dec. 1 election to rival Adama Barrow.

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Leaders from the West African bloc ECOWAS and from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation plead with Gambian long-time President Yahya Jammeh who lost in the recently held elections to step aside or face consequences.