Yahya Jammeh, who ruled the The Gambia for 22 years, on Friday called opposition leader, Adama Barrow on telephone to congratulate him for his “clear victory”.
The concession of defeat by Jammeh came before the results of the election was declared by the country’s electoral commission.
Jammeh, who came to power in 1994 as a 29-year-old army officer following a military coup, and won four previous polls, in his acceptance speech said the people have “decided that I should take the back seat”.
Speaking to the public on Gambian television late on Friday, Jammeh congratulated Barrow for his “clear victory”, saying: “I wish him all the best and I wish all Gambians the best,” Aljazeera reported
He said: “If [Barrow] wants to work with us also, I have no problem with that. I will help him work towards the transition,” he said, confirming that he would not contest the result.
Gambians voted by placing marbles into drums marked for each candidate.
Many stayed up all night listening to the radio and tallying results as they were read out constituency by constituency.
Barrow received 263,515 votes while Jammeh won 212,099, Alieu Momarr Njai, the electoral commission head, said in the capital Banjul on Friday.
News of Barrow’s victory prompted thousands to take to the streets of Banjul in celebration – some on foot while others rode in cars and trucks and on motorbikes – as confused soldiers looked on.
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