The Gambia’s security forces have taken over the headquarters of the electoral commission, its chairman says, as the country’s president refuses to accept his loss in recent elections.<\/p>\n
Alieu Momar Njai told the BBC that staff were barred from entering.<\/p>\n
President Yahya Jammeh initially conceded defeat to Adama Barrow in a recent poll, before changing his mind.<\/p>\n
Visiting West African leaders have met Mr Jammeh to try to persuade him to step down after 22 years in power.<\/p>\n
“We hope and pray that he [Jammeh] accepts their advice and leaves office,” Mr Njai said.<\/p>\n
A senior official of regional bloc Ecowas, Marcel de Souza, would not rule out sending in troops.<\/p>\n
“We have done it in the past,” he told Radio France Internationale.<\/p>\n
“We currently have troops in Guinea-Bissau with the Ecomib mission. We have had troops in Mali. And therefore it is a possible solution.”<\/p>\n
Mr Jammeh’s ruling APRC party filed a petition on Tuesday with the Supreme Court, asking it to annul the election results.<\/p>\n
The president had questioned the validity of the count after the electoral commission changed some results, even though it insists the outcome was not affected.<\/p>\n
The commission said Mr Barrow obtained 222,708 votes (43.3%) compared with Mr Jammeh’s 208,487 (39.6%). A third candidate, Mama Kandeh, won 89,768 votes (17.1%).<\/p>\n
Mr Njai on Sunday defended the results and warned Mr Jammeh against a legal challenge.<\/p>\n
“The election results were correct, nothing will change that,” he said. “If it goes to court, we can prove every vote cast. The results are there for everyone to see.”<\/p>\n