Transcribed by Saikou Nyassi
The conversation was broadcast by GRTS
President Jammeh: Hello Your Excellency, President Elect, Mr. Barrow how are you?
Mr Adama Barrow: I am fine.
President Jammeh: I am calling to wish the best. The Gambian people have spoken and I have no reason to contempt the wishes of the Almighty Allah.
I wish you all the best, the country will be in your hands in January 2O17 and you are assured of my guidance on your transition, I don’t mean selecting your members of government but I have to work with before I pack up to go to Kanilai so that I hand over the State House to you. You are the elected president of the Gambia and I wish you all the best. I have no ill will against you and I wish you all the best.
(Applause) from the cabinet members.
Mr Adama Barrow: The country is more important to all of us, we also thank you.
President Jmmeh: Thank you.
Mr Adama Barrow: And we also thank you and we will continue where you stop.
President Jammeh: Thank you.
Mr Adama Barrow: And as from now on if we need your advice we will always consult you.
President Jammeh: Thank you, though I will be a farmer in Kanilai.
Barrow: Thank you, I am here with my team.
President Jammeh: Convey my thanks to your entire team.
Barrow: Thank you very much.
President Jammeh: This is transparent, it is the wish of Allah and I as a Muslim, I accept it in good faith, the Gambian people have chosen you after 22 years, we are grateful to the Almighty Allah for that. I may not be around, remember I came on a Friday 22 July and I lost on Friday 2 of December 2016.
Allah is telling me that my time is up and I will handover graciously with gratitude to the Gambian people and gratitude to the Almighty Allah to you.
Mr Adama Barrow: Thank you very much, I believe we are all Gambians to work for the progress of the country.
President Jammeh: Yes,
Mr Adama Barrow: I was born in The Gambia.
President Jammeh: What date?
Mr Adama Barrow: It was on 15 February, 1965.
President Jammeh: 1965?
Mr Adama Barrow: Yes.
President Jammeh: So you were born before independence?
Mr Adama Barrow: Yes, exactly.
President Jammeh: So you are three months older than me.
Mr Adama Barrow: Yes.
President Jammeh: I wish you all the best. Well I think that is why they don’t call you old pa. I wish you all the best, O.K
Mr Adama Barrow: Thank you.
President Jammeh: And you will have my full support, let us make sure that we work towards maintaining peace and stability because without peace and stability, let us make it clear, you cannot achieve anything anywhere in Africa. I wish you all the best.
Mr Adama Barrow: We are looking towards meeting you and to putting us through.
President Jammeh: Yes, we will work on that.
Mr Adama Barrow: When shall we meet?
President Jammeh: We will meet next week.
Mr Adama Barrow: Next week?
President Jammeh: You are the president elect, I am the outgoing president, so you give us time; from Tuesday any day I will be free.
Mr Adama Barrow: From Tuesday?
President Jammeh: Yes
Mr Adama Barrow: What time?
President Jammeh: Hold on the phone for Bala Jahumpa. You know Honourable Bala Jahumpa, my campaign manager?
Mr Adama Barrow: Yes.
President Jammeh: He spoke to you this morning as well.
Mr Adama Barrow: Yes.
President Jammeh: Mr. Barrow, you are also coughing (laughter) like me?
Mr Adama Barrow: Yes, I am coughing due to dust during the campaign period.
President Jammeh: Well, I wish you the best my dear, OK. I have no ill feeling towards you.
Mr Adama Barrow: I want to talk to Bala Jahumpa.
President Jammeh: Yes, I will hand him over to him so that you can talk to him, I wish you all the best Mr. Barrow and I wish all the Gambian people all the best whether they support me or not, the country is greater than all of us.
Mr Adama Barrow: Than all of us, yes.
President Jammeh: Thank you very much.
I wish you all the best. (Applause)
