How Tinubu’s private plane flew Gambia’s Jammeh into exile

APC national leader Bola Tinubu helped to facilitate peace in Gambia over the weekend by allowing his private jet to fly out former president Yahya Jammeh and his family into exile

Tinubu was said to have allowed the use of his jet if only it would guarantee total restoration of peace and unity to Gambia

The jet, VP-CBT Falcon, had been in the care of Alpha Conde, Guinea president and close friend to Tinubu who flew out from Gambia with Jammeh aboard the plane

Ousted former Gambian president Yahya Jammeh departed his country late on Saturday, January 21 after agreeing to step down for the newly-inaugurated leader Adama Barrow who won the December 1, 2016 presidential polls.

What many people did not know however, is that the Gambian president flew out into exile in Guinea on the private jet of a Nigerian, the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The Nation reports that Tinubu’s VP-CBT Falcon Jet had been in the care of his close ally Guinea President Alpha Conde and he authorised it to be used to fly out the old regime in Gambia to pave way for a new one.

“After agreeing to leave and save The Gambia from a major crisis, Jammeh was confronted by big challenge – how to fly out.

“The leaders, The Nation learnt, reached out to All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart Asiwaju Bola Tinubu who authorised his private aircraft to be used to fly Jammeh out of Banjul,” The Nation reported.

The report quoted sources as saying that after Tinubu was contacted to allow the use of his jet to fly Jammeh out of Banjul and he gave a condition that he would allow it only “if it will facilitate the quick exit of Jammeh and lead to the restoration of peace and democracy in The Gambia”.

The plane eventually flew out with Jammeh, his wife, mother and President Conde aboard.

Meanwhile, the new president of Gambia has assured the people of the country of adequate security, just as he also promised to leave behind an enviable legacy at the end of his tenure.

Barrow, who was greatly supported by world powers and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), also said his government will create opportunity for the people to be involved in production so that the people will not be fully dependent on other countries for their means of livelihood.