NEWS
PRESIDENT JAMMEH SNUBS THE NIGERIAN ENVOY?
BY STAFF WRITER



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

September 7, 2005
Latest reports reaching The ALLGAMBIAN hinted about an embarrassing
reception meted out to a Nigerian envoy sent by President Obasanjo to the
Republic of The Gambia, in a bid to mediate The Gambia/Senegalese border
crisis, as president Yahya Jammeh reportedly snubbed the envoy.

Sources intimated that the Nigerian envoy whose first port of call was
neighbouring Senegal, was received by president Wade. He was however, not
cordially received in Banjul, as president Yahya Jammeh decided to delegate
one of his ministers to attend to the envoy.

According to reports received by the ALLGAMBIAN online newspaper, the envoy
was sent by President Obasanjo to mediate between The Gambia and the
Senegalese border crisis, as hostilities continued to go unabated. While in
Dakar, the envoy had fruitful discussions with President Wade, who briefed
him about the circumstances leading to The Gambia/Senegalese border impasse.
Their discussion also centred on sub-regional trade, ECOWAS and the much
talked about New Partnership For Africa's Development in short NEPAD.

According to sources, the envoy prevailed on both countries to open their
borders in the interest of sub-regional trade. However, sources in Banjul
say the Gambian leader apparently decided not to meet the Nigerian envoy for
some unexplained reasons.

As tensions continue to mount, sources say a recent move by president Yahya
Jammeh to expel the Senegalese Community in The Gambia was blocked by
Gambia's vice president and APRC'S self styled griot Fatou Jahumpa Ceesay.
Sources say the Gambian leader this time round heeded to numerous appeals
launched by these two individuals for him to reconsider his decision.
Jammeh's purported plan to expel Senegalese according to our sources was in
protest to the recent border standoff between the two countries. However,
his "chicken" cabinet warned him of the possible implication of expelling
the Senegalese Community in The Gambia, while citing the political, economic
and social ramification of such an "unafrican" way of treating a neighbour.

It would be recalled that former Foreign Affairs minister Baboucarr Blaize
Jagne was denied entry in Senegal some few years ago at the commencement of
the border crisis. Just recently, an APRC National Assembly Member was also
denied entry in Senegal.

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