Thousands of APRC supporters today staged a rally demanding for the return of former president Yahya Jammeh.

Supporters held placards bearing the slogans ‘Jammeh must come back’ and ‘Respect the joint declaration’ as they dressed in their green and white party colours.

Speaking to journalists, Fabakry Tombong Jatta interim leader of the APRC party said despite engaging the international bodies on the joint declaration “we observed that to date that aggrement is not being implemented.

“So today we are here to peacefully demonstrate within the ambits of the law to deliver to them our request demanding for the full implementation of the joint declaration.”

Dodou Jah deputy spokesman of the party also told journalists: “There was a joint declaration and we feel they’re ignoring it.”

Former president Jammeh, who ruled the Gambia for 22 years with an iron fist, last week called on his supporters in a WhatsApp audio to rally for his return from exile.

“I am coming back. They said they drove me out of the country. Apart from Allah, nobody can take me out of the Gambia,” Jammeh said in the audio message.

Jammeh has been living in exile in Equatorial Guinea since 2016 after being forced out by an Ecowas led military force following a shock election defeat.

By Adama Makasuba